How this Cambridge engineer made Pollachi's nutmeg a global sensation with Rs 3 crore annual turnover

In just three years, Pollachi nutmeg has carved its place among the finest spices globally, thanks to K Ranjit Kumar, who holds a postgraduate degree in Nanotechnology from Cambridge University. He returned to his roots in Kottur village, Pollachi, in 2017 after his father fell ill. Moving back to care for his parents, he decided to venture into farming, starting with nutmeg cultivation on his coconut farm using the intercropping method. 

Nutmeg is the shelled and dried seed of the nutmeg tree, and its webbed outer cover is mace, which is also dried and used as a spice. In 2022, India exported nutmeg worth 26.8 million dollars, making it the second largest nutmeg exporter in the world.

Ranjith realised that although nutmeg had been cultivated in Pollachi for over 30 years by around 150 farmers, they weren’t earning due profits.

The main issue behind a lack of profitability was a lack of collective bargaining power. Farmers were often exploited by middlemen who paid low prices. Besides, there was inconsistency in quality due to inadequate awareness of scientific cultivation methods and post-harvest practices. 

"When I looked into it, I realized that forming a Farmer Producer Company (FPC) would pave the way for fair and profitable nutmeg trade in Pollachi. I also discovered that our nutmeg and mace are superior to those from Kerala. That's when I decided to carve out a niche for the Pollachi nutmeg variety,” Ranjit tells 30Stades.

Ranjith believes that only when knowledge is shared, can a community flourish. And that’s how the Pollachi Nutmeg Farmer Producer Company was born in 2022. Currently, around 235 hectares of land in Pollachi is under nutmeg cultivation, and around 100 farmers have been associated with the FPC.

After identifying the need for collective action and quality improvement, Ranjit organised a series of training programmes and visits to institutions such as the ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research (IISR) and the Spices Board for farmers. These initiatives familiarised them with scientific cultivation methods, quality standards, and post-harvest practices.

Also Read: How this Goa family earns Rs 42 lakh per acre from organic coconut farming

"Through training, farmers learned about the global market, quality standards, and grading patterns. They also conducted lab tests on nutmeg samples to ensure quality," he adds.

Nutmeg farming

Nutmeg is intercropped with coconut trees, which provides the shade necessary for optimum growth. Nutmeg harvesting season begins in June and continues till October.

It requires a warm, mildly humid climate with a mix of rainfall and dry spells. So the yield is highly susceptible to climate change. Along with regular produce, there are about 20 farmers who focus on organic nutmeg farming. 

Nutmeg and mace grow inside the fruit. Once the fruit splits open, it’s ready for harvest.

"Pickers pluck the fresh fruit, remove the nut from the shell, and grade the nuts before washing them. The outer cover, or mace, is then carefully removed. Both the nuts and mace are inspected for any signs of fungus. Broken, black, fungal and lightweight immature nuts are removed. The good quality nuts are stored in clean jute bags and drums, with a shelf life of up to one year,” explains Ranjit.

Also Read: How this Goa spice farmer makes Rs 15 lakh/acre from vanilla farming

All the members of FPC bring their produce to a convention hall owned by Ranjit in his village. "I take care of most activities -- from organising sales to safeguarding the stocks. I am glad that farmers and elders trusted my vision and are with me in this journey for shared success," he adds.

Branding and marketing

The FPC has successfully branded Pollachi nutmeg and mace, highlighting the unique qualities of the products to traders and exporters. It has also promoted the cultivation of a uniform variety of nutmeg in the region and set a standard price. Ranjit has also developed a hybrid Pollachi variety. It is available in nurseries, established by farmers to produce the best saplings and planting material for the Pollachi variety nutmeg.

"Over the past two years, we've sold around 48 tonnes. Our annual turnover is around Rs3 crore. After retaining a minimal profit for the FPC, the majority of the earnings are distributed to the farmers," the agripreneur says.

"When middlemen were involved, farmers were getting Rs 270 per kg. Now, there's been a significant improvement in their earnings. This year, nutmeg is priced at around Rs470 per kg, while mace is fetching Rs2,550 per kg," Ranjit explains. 

The FPC has exported mace and nutmeg to Australia and Canada. They have also got another order now from France for mace.

Also Read: Pune man grows saffron on terrace, sells at Rs 6 lakh per kg

USP of Pollachi Nutmeg

Moisture content is a critical factor in determining nutmeg’s export quality. According to Ranjit, Pollachi's lower humidity and more staggered rainfall create the perfect conditions for drying nutmeg. Hence, the chances of fungal contamination and aflatoxins are extremely low.

"Our region stands out by maintaining low moisture levels, with 95 percent of our farmers' stocks falling between 8 percent and 8.5 percent adhering to international market standards. This makes our nutmeg highly competitive, meeting export standards."

Although the yield per tree in Pollachi is 40 percent less than that reported in Kerala, the size of the kernel is very large, and its weight is higher.

"Pollachi variety mace, with a thick lotus shape bud, has an average weight of about 2.5 grams and the season's best weighs over 3 grams," says Ranjit.

It is undoubtedly one of the best and aesthetically pleasing mace produced in the world," he beams with pride.

Future plans

"Our next goal is to take our products to a global stage and tap into a wider market. Alongside nutmeg and mace, I also plan to form a confederation of other spices from our state and showcase them at exhibitions across the country and worldwide,” he says.

“We're also working on securing a GI tag for Pollachi nutmeg. We have a long journey ahead, and every day is a learning experience. What's helping now is that we’ve been keeping detailed records and data on nutmeg farming and marketing, which will be an invaluable resource moving forward and I believe we are slowly bridging the gap of knowledge deficiency in the field," Ranjit signs off.

(Chandhini R is a Kerala-based journalist specialising in human interest, entertainment, and art and culture stories)

Also Read: Karnataka’s millionaire farmer harvests 100 kg rambutan and mangosteen per tree; sells at Rs350 per kg

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