MUNCIPAL WASTE AS MANURE FOR PINEAPPLE CULTIVATION
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| Father John Choolapparambil, Lourde Matha Church, Charamangalam, Chertala, Alappuzha |
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When Father John Choolapparambil took charge as priest at Lourde Matha Church, Charamangalam, Chertala, he was greeted by the hot sandy soil and a few coconut trees without produce. An organic farming buff, he decided to convert the churchyard into a farm.
He
purchased 50 truckloads of waste from Chertala municipality and used it as
sub soil manure for coconuts.
A
few months later he obtained 1500 pineapple tops from Ayarkunnam for
planting. And he employed
micro-sprinkler system for irrigation.
“It
was noticed that the pineapples growing near the coconuts fed with municipal
waste were showing better growth,” he says.
This convinced him that municipal waste is better for pineapple
cultivation. And so Father
ordered another 18 loads of waste from the municipality and used as sub
soil manure for pineapples.
“Even
though the sandy soil was very hot, the pineapples were growing
rapidly,” he reminisces. At
the time of harvest, the fruits had grown to 2 kg even.
On the whole the church got Rs.10,000 from the pineapple
cultivation.
As
a bonus, the municipal waste brought seeds of pumpkin and ash gourd, which
as vegetables fetched another Rs.2,700.
“Some
people feel that municipal waste will generate foul smell and breed
houseflies. But can you show
houseflies here? Do you feel
any bad smell here?” he asks.
Agriculture
Officer of Kanjikkuzhi, T.S.Viswam is guiding the Father in his
experiments.
Courtesy: B.Rajesh Kumar, Mathrubhumi, June 9, 1999
Contributed by: Administrator
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