talent-kerala.net
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muhammed salim: cutivator and promoter of organic turmeric |
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Few years
ago, Muhammed Salim had
suffered severely from Herpes. The pain was so severe
that he could neither eat or sleep.
After visits to many hospitals and a surgery, the disease
wasn’t
completely cured. Doctors told him bluntly
that at his age it was not likely to be cured. It was then
that he turned to Ayurveda. Based on the
instruction of an ayurvedic practitioner from Irinjalakkuda, he mixed
turmeric
in gooseberry juice and started taking it as a medicine.
Soon the disease was completely cured. Inspired, Salim
started learning more about the spice. Further,
he started its cultivation and became an ambassador for its use. As his
cultivation went on increasing, so also his activity of being an active
promoter of the use of organic turmeric. Though many
wholesalers and companies approach him for bulk orders, he doesn’t sell
his
product to them. According to him, the
companies would extract curcumin from the turmeric and use it for
medical purposes. But his intention is to
bring organic
turmeric powder and turmeric roots to the masses. So,
he sells a maximum of 2 kg of turmeric powder
directly to the user. He uses
organic fertilizers prepared at home for his cultivation. He sells two
varieties of turmeric powder. One
steam-baked
and other Sun-baked. The second variety
is more costly considering the time and labour for its preparation. Over the
years, there has been steady increase in the buyers of his products. Further, VIPs too have come to know the
significance
and quality of his products. Among those
who have visited his 6 acre farm include the then Finance Minister
Thomas
Isaac, Agriculture Minister Sunil Kumar, Film Actors Salim Kumar and
Sreenivasan etc. When he conducts
classes on turmeric, he requests the participants to cultivate atleast
a few turmeric
plants in their household. He usually
gives away turmeric roots free during such lectures. He has truly
altered the views of many on turmeric. He
has shown that an insignificant glass piece may be a diamond in
disguise.
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“Time
spent among trees is never wasted.”
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