TIRUPPUR: The crunchy Kovilpatti kadalai mittai, Groundnut candy made in the villages of Thoothukudi, has got the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, but the ingredient that makes it special, DMV-7 variety of groundnut cultivated in Tiruppur's Cheyvur village, is yet to get any recognition.
The Cheyvur variety is considered the groundnut in Western Tamil Nadu. It is cultivated in just 35 sqkm in Avinashi, Tiruppur. Farms are spread between areas of Nambiyur, Puliampatti, Kunnathur and Cheyvur in Avinashi. The size of the groundnut is small, similar to chickpea.
Speaking to TNIE, N Kandasamy (66), a farmer said, "I was harvesting maize and horse gram for several years. But, on advice from the agriculture department, I experimented with the groundnut on four acres and got good profits. With expenses of the fertilisers and labour coming around Rs 15,000 per acre, the returns were good. So, I have been sowing the crop for 10 years now. Many traders from Dindigul, Pollachi and Manaparai come here to buy it. Around 200 farmers in my village, Periyakannur, are primarily dependent on this groundnut variety. But there isn't any recognition for it in Tamil Nadu."
Speaking to TNIE, Regulatory Market (Cheyvur) superintendent S Yuvaraj said, "Over 2,500 farmers are directly involved in the farming of groundnut in these areas. It is a kharif crop with a growing period of three months. The first phase between April and June offers a good yield and the second phase between August and October offers even more if there is good rain. Around 4,000 acres of the farmlands cultivate 'Cheyvur' groundnut and harvest around 5,000 tonnes. One of the biggest advantages of the crop is that it is indigenous variety and tastes good."
"Many large candy companies used to buy these groundnuts for their rich oil content. Besides, many candy makers buy several hundreds of tonnes during the season. But, the saddest part is that candy has got GI tag, but not the raw material," he added.
Joint Director (agriculture department, Tiruppur) S Manoharan said, "Based on agriculture records, this variety has been sowed for more than 100 years in the region. The red sandy loam soil in the region is best for its growth and adequate rainfall adds more value to the crop. This variety deserves a GI tag. We have taken the issue to superiors."