Rambutan Lawyer and 380 native seeds

Dear Reader,

What are some of the most bizarre combinations you’ve ever come across? For me, it is things like broccoli ice cream or a pasta milkshake. I often hear strange pairings on an FM radio station while driving, and they always make me laugh.

So when Babu Joseph Painadath told me he is not just a rambutan farmer but also a practising advocate at the Kerala High Court, I immediately thought of the radio station. Between broccoli ice cream and pasta milkshake, I coined a new combination - the rambutan lawyer.

Babu is scientific and calculative. He practices high-density rambutan farming, where plants are grown closer together than in the traditional 40ft spacing. To ensure they don’t compete for nutrients, he applies organic manure and neem cake twice a year and ensures optimum irrigation. The result: Each tree yields 120 kg of fruit. He sells them at a minimum of Rs 100 per kg, while the maximum is Rs 200.

His turnover is Rs 12 lakh per acre with a profit of Rs 9 lakh, and he has a 10-acre farm. Why Babu began rambutan farming and how he grows them are detailed in the story. Do look up this article because farmer-lawyers making money in the court and on the farm are definitely rare.

My colleague Niroj wrote about Hrushikesh Padhan, a farmer who has collected and saved 380 varieties of native seeds, including paddy, vegetables and pulses. He travelled to different places to build his repertoire, which includes some rare varieties.

To conserve them, he has built a community seed bank where they are stored with ash and neem leaves. The bank barters and sells seeds. Hrushikesh has helped around 70 farmers to transition from chemical to organic farming and also cultivates rare paddy varieties for sale.

Native seeds are the key to farmer sovereignty, and the work of people like Hrushikesh empowers growers by reducing their dependency on corporate players.

To read our earlier newsletters, click here

My colleague Anu has put together a piece on five farmers who shifted away from sugarcane farming as it is increasingly becoming financially unviable. Sugarcane is a water-guzzling crop, and groundwater levels are declining rapidly across the country. Add the rising input costs, delayed mill payments, and climate change, and you know why farmers are giving up sugarcane.

The five farmers have successfully replaced it with more profitable crops, changing the financial fortunes of their families. 

Our weekend article features five traditional Indian probiotic foods, which are now making a comeback. Much before probiotics became a health buzzword, Indian kitchens relied on natural fermentation for digestion and nutrition, writes my colleague Riya. Do read this piece, because it may bring back childhood memories of your mom’s kitchen.

Happy Reading!

Warmly,

Rashmi

How this Kerala HC advocate earns Rs12 lakh per acre from rambutan farming

Odisha farmer saves 380 varieties of native seeds, helps growers shift to organic farming

Five farmers who multiplied their incomes by moving away from sugarcane farming

5 traditional Indian probiotic foods making a comeback