Season

PLANTATION

We have scientifically maintained plantations of cash crops like vanilla, rubber, cashew and arecanut.

:: Rubber

Many plant species produce natural rubber. Considerations of quality and economics, however, limit the source of natural rubber to one species, namely Hevea brasiliensis . It is a native of the Amazon basin and introduced from there to countries in the tropical belts of Asia and Africa during late 19th century. It can be termed as the most far reaching and successful of introductions in plant history resulting in plantations over 9.3 million hectares, 95 per cent of it across the globe in Asia.
In India, Hevea seeds normally ripen during July-September when the seeds are collected and seedlings raised. All earlier plantations were raised from unselected seeds. The yield potential of these having been low, the production of those plantations was poor. Selection work on Hevea with a view to improving the planting materials and the introduction of vegetative propagation by budding led, in course of time, to the establishment of numerous valuable clones.
Latex is obtained from the bark of the rubber tree by tapping. Tapping is a process of controlled wounding during which thin shavings of bark are removed. The aim of tapping is to cut open the latex vessels in the case of trees tapped for the first time or to remove the coagulum which blocks the cut ends of the latex vessels in the case of trees under regular tapping.

:: Vanilla

Vanilla Planifolia belongs to the plant family Orchidaceae (orchid) and is native to Mexico. The ripe pods, often incorrectly referred to as beans, are the parts used for culinary purposes however, the sweet almost addictive aromatic scent gives rise to its use not only in cooking but in all types of fragrance products from perfume to candles. Until the late 19th century, Mexico had the monopoly on growing vanilla, however it is now commercially grown in many other tropical countries such as the West Indies, Uganda, and Fiji with Madagascar (Bourbon Vanilla), India and Indonesia now growing the crop on a large scale.

The Vanilla plant is a large climbing perennial. It can grow up to 30m/75 feet, clinging to trees for support. It grows within the 20-degree band either side of the Equator and is native to the Americas. It requires warm, humid conditions to grow and fruit, but even with the optimum warmth, humidity and good drainage, it takes up to three years before the first flowers appear. The pods grow to between 4 and 12 inches and once the fruit set (probably called beans probably because they look just like big green beans) they have to remain on the vine for approximately nine months to fully develop and ready for harvest.

:: Cashew

The cashew nut is defined botanically as the fruit. It grows externally in its own kidney-shaped hard shell at the end of this pseudo-fruit, or peduncle. The nut kernel inside is covered with an inner shell, and between the two shells is a thick, caustic, toxic oil calledcardol. Cashew nuts must be cleaned to remove the cardol and then roasted or boiled to remove the toxins before they can be used.

:: Arecanut

The Arecanut (Areca catechu ) has a gestation period of about six years and holds promise in the long run. The crop does well in loamy soils in humid tropics with evenly distributed rainfall. Though, the initial expenses of raising a plantation are high, the returns after the sixth or seventh year will prove it a worthwhile venture.

A number of native varieties and a few high yielding dwarf varieties are available for commercial cultivation. One of the most promising among the high yielding varieties is "Mangala", which is a dwarf variety with hefty bunches. For raising a plantation, disease-free planting material has to be got from proven mother palms. Bold seeds from middle-aged trees should be collected in February.

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ipsr solutions ltd