Kuttiyadi coconut vying for GI tag

Kuttiyadi coconut may be the next in the long line of agricultural crops from Kerala to receive the Geographical Indication (GI) tag. The Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) and the Kavilumpara gram panchayat in Kozhikode have taken the initiative to get this unique coconut variety its due recognition.

The Kuttiyadi coconut, cultivated mainly in the Kuttiyadi region of Kozhikode, is known to be a high-yielding variety that starts yielding within five years of planting. Besides, the trunk of this tree is too strong compared to other coconut varieties and resists most pests and draught. The tree even has a life expectancy of more than 100 years. The fruit is larger and heavier while the kernel is thicker than other varieties and hence produces more oil too.

“We have tried several other varieties of coconuts, but none could withstand the weather and give yield like this one,” said Mathath Mohanan, a coconut farmer at Maruthonkara.

The coconut’s peculiarities have made it so popular that the Department of Agriculture is sourcing seedlings and saplings from Kuttiyadi every year to be distributed across the State. However, the farmers complain that there has been no help from the government to improve the yield or support the farmers who are suffering crop and income loss due to ‘Mandari’ (coconut mite). “Even the Agriculture department does not take coconuts affected by the mite. This has led to us losing business to a great extend,” Mr. Mohanan said.

‘Unable to meet demand’

There are thousands of coconut farmers in the Kuttiyadi region who make a living not just through sales of coconut, but the saplings and seedlings too. However, the yield has declined of late. “The baby coconuts are falling off due to the unpredictable and severe weather. Thus we are unable to meet the huge demand for saplings and seedlings,” Mr. Mohanan said.

The Kavilumpara gram panchayat started the efforts to get the GI tag for Kuttiyadi coconut around three years ago. The panchayat allocated ₹3 lakh in its annual budget for the preliminary works and handed it over to the KAU that carries out the documentation works. “It was the scientists at the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute that pointed out the possibility of a GI tag. The tag would immensely help the farmers here in marketing the product at the national and international level,” said George Ponnattil, president of the panchayat.

A group of officials from the Intellectual Property Rights cell of the university visited Kavilumpara on Tuesday (August 26) to brief on the application process. They discussed the kind of documents that need to be submitted to the Geographical Indication Registry and visited a few plantations.