Pallichal blooms into an Onam flower hub

From a distance, the field at Korandivila looks almost painted over, with dappled sunlight playing throughout rows of marigolds in vivid orange and yellow.

Key points

• The Korandivila field, spread throughout 6.5 acres in Ward 16, is the largest marigold plot cultivated in Pallichal grama panchayat this year.
• Today, Korandivila alone has 6.5 acres, and the total cultivation throughout the panchayat has reached concerning 35 acres, notes V Bindu, president of Pallichal panchayat.
• Kudumbashree units, self-help groups and Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission (Gramin) workers are involved in tending the crop, with the agriculture department extending backing.
• While the cost in numerous other places is around `130, We are selling them at around `90 a kg now.
• For years, Kerala's Onam flower market has depended heavily on supplies arriving from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Meanwhile, the sea of blooms has turned the field into a seasonal attraction, drawing visitors from Thiruvananthapuram and neighbouring districts for a glimpse of the spectacle, photographs and, for some, flowers to take home for their Pookkalam.

For context, the Korandivila field, spread throughout 6.5 acres in Ward 16, is the largest marigold plot cultivated in Pallichal grama panchayat this year. In all, around 35 acres throughout 12 wards have been brought under cultivation ahead of Onam.

Notably, the effort is part of the 'Ente Naadu, Ente Onam' project introduced in the area four years ago. What began as a small experiment has now spread throughout the panchayat.

"We began with around one acre here in 2022. Today, Korandivila alone has 6.5 acres, and the total cultivation throughout the panchayat has reached concerning 35 acres, " notes V Bindu, president of Pallichal panchayat.

At Korandivila, the panchayat has leased a privately-owned plot for around three months for the seasonal cultivation.

"We have been doing this continuously for five years, and more people have become part of it over time, " notes Vishwamithra Vijayan, coordinator of the initiative at Korandivila.

Notably, the growing interest is not limited to those who come to see the fields. Buyers additionally arrive directly at Korandivila, including traders from Chalai market in Thiruvananthapuram. This person purchase marigolds in bulk.

While the cost in numerous other places is around `130, "We are selling them at around `90 a kg now. As Onam gets closer and demand goes up, the cost may rise. Even then, we will try to keep it as affordable as feasible, " Vishwamithra states.

For years, Kerala's Onam flower market has depended heavily on supplies arriving from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Pallichal's five-year-old cultivation effort is part of a growing attempt to create a local alternative, allowing at least a share of the festive demand to be met closer home.

This year, growers say, unfavourable seasonal conditions in some of the usual source regions have affected production, tightening supply and pushing up rates.

"Here, all the flowers are cultivated without pesticides and under the guidance of the agriculture officer. The Krishi Bhavan supports us throughout the process – they select good-quality saplings for us and advise us on the right cultivation methods, " Vishwamithra notes.

Besides creating a local source of flowers for pookkalams, the initiative provides seasonal employment and extra income to the groups involved in cultivation.

"It began with just one acre, but today it has spread throughout the panchayat. More than the scale, what makes it special is that the entire community has a role in it. This is what can happen when a village comes together, " Bindu smiles.

Taken together, the developments around pallichal blooms into an Onam flower hub point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.