Bid to promote temperate fruit crops in Idukki

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Talk plum, peach, pear or rambutan, and most Keralites would instantly conjure up images of exotic locations abroad, but the State Horticulture Mission-Kerala has a project on the anvil that intends to make these fruits household names in Idukki district.The Mission plans to popularise temperate fruit trees in suitable locales in Idukki in a bid to transform the hilly district into a ‘Fruit Belt.’ The Central Government has sanctioned Rs 5 crore for the ‘Popularisation of Temperate Fruit Crops in Idukki District and Area Expansion Programme’ under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, Horticulture Mission director K Prathapan said.Orange, apple, pear, peach, strawberry, plum, rambutan, guava, mangosteen, lychee, mango and Nenthran variety of banana are to be popularised in selected panchayats, he said. ‘’We have selected a number of places such as Kanthalloor, Marayoor, Vattavada and adjacent panchayats where we will distribute planting materials to each household. By April-May this year, we hope to start planting,’’ he said.The mission has invited EoI from state agricultural universities, public sector undertakings and ICAR institutions for supplying 15,000 saplings of each fruit variety. The Horticulture Mission had conducted a similar experiment in seven panchayats in Kollam. Each panchayat cultivated a different mango variety. It was found to be a success.