A vast array of green parasols mottled with bright pink spots. That is how around 2.5 acres on the premises of the Travancore Titanium Products Ltd. (TTPL) at Kochuveli here looks like.
Nearly 3,000 dragon fruit plants of the Malaysian Red variety at the site are laden with fruits and the harvest is under way. “We have already harvested 2,000 kg of the fruit so far this year,” says Vinod R., deputy general manager, Project Safety and Environment, who is the nodal officer of the Travancore Titanium Agriculture and Fisheries Society.
Found solution
Dragon fruit farming was taken up on the premises under the Kerala State Horticulture Mission’s (SHM) exotic fruit cultivation mission. While the sandy soil on the premises is good for dragon fruit cultivation due to its low water retention capacity, its poor fertility posed a problem. The then chairperson of TTPL, A.A. Rasheed, who was instrumental in implementing the project, found a solution. The aerobic compost produced by the Thiruvananthapuram city Corporation and the dry leaves collected by it were used to improve the soil quality. The ₹24-lakh project has been implemented with a 75% subsidy from the SHM.
After a laborious land preparation process, planting was done in January, 2023, and the plants were ready for harvesting in less than a year. “The first season yielded around 250 kg. The plants flowered again in six months and in this second season we have done six harvests so far,” says Gireeshan P., coordinator of the farming projects on the campus.
“The fruits we get here are very tasty and there is a high demand for them. A good share of the harvest is sold among our staff itself. We also supply fruits to the staff cooperative societies at Secretariat and Assembly. Some organic shops in the city are buying from us. The public can purchase it from the sales counter on our premises which functions from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on working days,” says Mr. Vinod. Harvesting is done every fortnight and the fruits are sold at ₹200 a kg.
Only organic manure such as cow dung, bone meal, and neem cakes is used and drip irrigation method is followed. Watermelon, pumpkin, cucumber, amaranthus, and even papaya, the short Red Lady variety, are grown as inter-crops too.
Fish farming
The society has also taken up fish farming on the premises under a project of the Fisheries department. Varal (snake head murrel), tilapia, and Assam Vala are cultivated in two ponds on the premises. The nutrient-rich water from the fish ponds is used to irrigate the orchard and it has helped in ensuring a bumper crop.
The public sector chemical company under the Kerala government that produces titanium dioxide is not a novice in the field of agriculture. Under the Subhiksha Keralam project of the State government, the company launched farming on two acres in 2019. At one time, around 15 acres on the 82-acre company premises was under cultivation.
Paddy, tuber crops, and vegetables, including cabbage, cauliflower, brinjal, chilli, long beans, ivy gourd, are cultivated. The leaves of the moringa plant and flowers of agathi cheera (Sesbania grandiflora) produced on the premises also have many takers.
Besides ensuring pesticide-free vegetables and fruits, the green premises also offer a soothing sight to the weary eyes of the factory employees.
