IDUKKI: Locations blessed with natural features such as waterfalls, rivers and mountains that gained fame as tourist spots have turned into a source of livelihood for residents. Now, with agri-tourism gaining traction, it’s time for those growing vegetables, fruits and flowers to use them as a calling card to attract visitors.
In Kanthalloor, a growers have been supplementing their income by showcasing their endemic crops through farm visits. Marayur jaggery, garlic, strawberry and now, saffron, the list goes on. Ramamoorthy, who has taken to growing saffron, said that he has been getting a good number of visitors to his farm since news reports of his experimental cultivation went viral.
“During weekends, I receive at least 100 visitors every day. Although visitors are barred from touching or plucking the flowers, they can take photographs and watch them from up close,” he told TNIE. Based in Perumala, Ramamoorthy has a `20 entry fee for each person visiting his farm. Each plant is expected to bloom thrice, depending on climatic conditions and the care provided, he noted.
Apart from saffron, visits to sugarcane fields and traditional units producing Marayur jaggery are among the main agri-tourism activities in Kanthalloor. “The more we show people how Marayur jaggery is made without preservatives or how vegetables are cultivated organically, our products will gain more acceptance,” said Sivakumar, a farmer.
Sivakumar said tourists who visit production units will never miss buying jaggery, which is offered in different flavours. “Farm visits are a good source of income for farmers engaged in producing jaggery,” he said. Palaniyammal, who runs a strawberry farm adjacent to her jaggery production unit in Missionvayal, says tourists who visit the farms can taste freshly plucked strawberries. “Confidence in the quality of the fruit allows them to purchase it,” she said.
Strawberry farmers like her, who used to sell their produce in local markets at low prices, are now reaping the benefits of the new agri-tourism strategy adopted by farmers. In addition to individual visitors arriving with families in their own vehicles, tour operators are also conducting farm tours.
“We’re not blessed with dams, viewpoints or beaches. One of the biggest benefits of this region is the diversity in crops cultivated by farmers and we are trying to sell the experience,” said Suchithra, a farmer in Kanthalloor.