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Old habits die hard.  As a young lad Babu Kandamthottukara used to help in the farming activities of the family.  After he grew up he went abroad but the love of farming stayed on with him.  Even after coming back to Kerala and starting a business venture, the urge to work in the farm kept him thinking.

Once the business stabilized, he turned his attention to agriculture.  And now in addition to the personal joy and family satisfaction, he is able to generate a reasonable profit from his Haritha agrofarm, Anthalankavu.P.O, Kadammanitta, Pathanamthitta.  Though the farm has many varieties of tuber crops and bananas, it is the cultivation of vegetables that give him the most satisfaction.  Early realization of profit, usefulness in one’s own kitchen and the satisfaction of harvesting are the reasons for this choice.

He has kept chemical fertilizers at arm’s length.  Vermicompost is the major fertilizer.  Use of natural manures has resulted in a boon at the time of marketing.  While he has to supply bananas etc. to the market, the potential buyers of vegetables come to his home or farm to buy them.  It is the faith that the vegetables are cultivated strictly by natural methods that prompts them to offer even higher rates.

More than the revenue from vegetables, he gets profits from the sale of seeds and saplings.  Here again, the faith that only the best quality seeds will be used by Babu prompts the market to respond favourably to his offer.

He gets full cooperation in agriculture from his family consisting of wife Reni and children, Bonny and Blessy.  Last year, Reni won the best farmer award of the Naranganam Panchayat.

He expresses deep sense of gratitude to the Agricultural Information Centre, ‘CARD’ at Thelliyoor which is always ready to clear the doubts of farmers.

The family at work packing seeds

Courtesy: Babu Kandamthottukara, Karshakashree, October 2002

Contributed by: Administrator

"The patient dog eats the fattest bone."