Hilly vegetables in the plains stump French farmers

Tourists get tips from delta farmer on cultivation methods, cost and returns on investment

A group of French tourists on a visit to the town was astounded by the quality of cabbage and broccoli, which are cool season crops mostly cultivated on hills, but are growing well in the plains.

The three-acre plot leased by farmer Sekar of Thiruvalanchuzhi, Thanjavur, unique in the delta region for the kind of crop it cultivates, has been appreciated on many fora, but this is the first time it got a French word of praise.

The tourists, most of them reportedly farmers, never imagined that the ‘hill’ vegetables could be raised successfully in the plains. Nor did they think that a bunch of vegetables can be raised beside each other on a three-acre plot. When they saw the field rich in vegetables, they heaped praise on Sekar for his pioneering efforts.

The group of about 20 farmers from near Paris had planned to visit the famed Sri Airavateeswarar temple at Darasuram near here. When they heard about the endeavour of Mr. Sekar in his field, a few kilometres from their place of stay, they dropped in out of curiosity.

Years of experience

The team was received with a bouquet of vegetables, many of them alien to the delta region, where paddy is raised traditionally along with a handful of other crops such as sugar cane. The tourists came to know that cabbage, broccoli, beetroot, cauliflower, carrot, green peas and radish were raised. Mr. Sekar told them that he had been doing this for seven years.

The team, led by a farmer named Terrier, quizzed Mr. Sekar on the cultivation method, the cost of cultivation, returns on investment, market opportunities and other “secrets”.

“Our guests said they were as much amazed by Mr. Sekar’s field as they had been by the sculptural beauty of the Darasuram temple,” said Lata Raman, Chairperson, Paradise Resorts, who arranged the field visit for the tourists.