DINDIGUL: Guava and Tamarind farmers from Dindigul were delighted after proposal to obtain Geographical Indication (GI) tag was announced for 'Ayakudi' Guava, 'Natham' Puli (tamarind), 'Kappalpatti' Karumbu (sugarcane) and Murungai (drumstick), in the TN Agri Budget 2025. Products with GI tag ensures immediate acknowledgement, increases market demand and creates export opportunities.
B Raja, a guava farmer from Ayakudi in Palani said, "The guava plantation is spread over 2,000 hectares in Palani taluk. Many farmers have lands under contract for farming. For one acre of land 80 to 100 guava trees can be grown. The size of the trunk decides the number of trees in farmland. The cost for tilling the land, fertilisers and other inputs may cost Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 per acre. Besides, all plants should be regularly watered. Hence, we have deployed drip irrigation in all the plantations. The life span of guava trees is around 15 years. Even after the tree's death, the wood will be useful for many purposes."
'Natham' Puli is a different variety when compared to other varieties available in Tamil Nadu and is widely spread in Dindigul, where around 4,000 hectares of trees are found. Around 1,800 acres of plantation is found in Natham block.
C Ravi, a farmer in Natham said, "Our variety is richer and thicker in pulp, than other varieties available in Tamil Nadu. The whiteness gives a bitter-sour taste. I own more than 40 tamarind plantations in my farmland. Since, this tree requires less water and withstands harsh weather conditions, they get adapted to the area easily. Most of the trees are grown from seeds and are over 80 years old. A good tamarind tree variety can offer a yield of 150-200 kg of tamarind. Most farmers deploy contractors to pluck these tamarind pulps. The pucking is carried out every 20-30 days.