more-in For tribal farmers in Pachamalai who ventured into pineapple cultivation it has been a dismal season. The yield has been poor due to depleting groundwater and also due to failure of the north-east monsoon. The farmers had taken up pineapple cultivation for the first time under WADI, an integrated tribal development programme being implemented by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development in the hills. According to a cross section of farmers, the fruits were far below the normal size. The NABARD had distributed saplings to 53 farmers -- 34 in Tiruchi district and 19 in Salem district during 2015-16. The crop was raised in 53 villages, including Kundakadi, Nachilipatti, Puthur and Kambur all in Tiruchi side and Periyapakkalam, Palaamarthur, Nallamathur and Chinnamangalam that fall in Salem district. “The seedlings were brought from Kolli Hills,” said S. Suresh Kumar, Assistant General Manager, NABARD, Tiruchi, who has been closely monitoring the programme. The plant needs to be pruned to avoid secondary or tertiary flowering. “The size of the successive fruits is quite small and cannot be marketed. Hence, the need for pruning the plant,” said S. Lingeswararn, co-ordinator, Hand-in-Hand, a service organisation which is implementing the NABARD programme at Pachamalai. Each farmer was given 200 saplings so that they could harvest 200 fruits at the end of the year. Though the yield during the first year was appreciable, the yield during the current season was quite poor, says Mani, another coordinator. The tribal farmers were also trained on marketing the fruits. As jackfruit is also cultivated in the hills, the pineapple was marketed along with the jackfruit to the agents. Farmers complain that the price is not attractive as they are forced to sell the fruits only to jackfruit dealers for want of an alternative. They want the State government to ensure adequate marketing avenue for pineapples.

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