Western Ghats Kokum Foundation - Organic Farming Association of ...

Status of existing Kokum cultivation in Karnataka and North Kerala
Shree Padre, Journalist Post Vaninagar Via: Perla 671 552 Kerala
Kokum is called as Murugalu in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka. In Dakshina
Kannada, it is known as Punarpuli. In- Karnataka, it is grown in three other districts, i.e.,
Shimoga, Chickmanglore and Udupi.
Most of the marketable surplus actually doesn't come as a product of farming but is
commercial collection from forest lands. Ankola taluka in Uttara Kannada Dist. stands
number one in production.
Statistics about States' total production and consumption is not easily available. Till
recently, this was a totally neglected crop in these belts. Most of the trees weren’t planted
ones. Habit of planting Kokum is a recent development. Even in the homesteads where the
trees yielded fruits not many families cared to collect and put it to a good use.
Compared to Karnataka, Kokum remains unknown to most parts of Kerala except
for Kasaragod taluka. As such Kerala's Kokum production is practically negligible. This is
quite unfortunate considering that the climate and rainfall in Kerala is most conducive for
Kokum cultivation.
Since the last one decade, growing' interest in planting and value addition of Kokum
is clearly visible. One reason for this is the media exposure about the medicinal properties
of Kokum. The second and recent is the expose of presence of pesticide residues in many
popular soft drinks.
In Karnataka, the forest department has been mass producing seedlings for forestry
programmes. Department's Plus-tree programme has identified some outstanding
selections. But unfortunately, there is no mention of worthy follow-up.
In Dakshina Kannada and elsewhere some grafting enthusiasts and selected
nurseries have started producing Kokum grafts from selected mother-plants of their
neighbourhood.
A cultivar that warrants researchers' attention is the so called bile murugalu that is
unique to Uttara Kannada district. Though it is called as white Kokum, the real color is
yellow. Local villagers believe that it has more medicinal properties than its maroon
colored counterpart. Its butter is an excellent medicine for dysentery. Many households
preserve the home-made butter in a pill form and it is widely used in treating dysentery
among children.
Tn Ankola taluka, many hamlets in a radius of 10 kilometers make a living on Kokum.
From March to May is murugalu season for hundred of poor families of Achave, Hillor,
Kumtagani, Kadakaar, Manikaar. Sunkasala, Guthle, Mothigudda and surrounding hamlets.
On the borders of areca gardens and in the foothills of forests, Kokum has grown naturally
as if it is a monocrop. Their small private holdings too have yielding trees.
There are more reasons than one why Kokum enjoys top priority among these
small-holders. It doesn't require irrigation, maturing or pesticides. It's a typical zero
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Resource Book on Kokum (Garcinia indica Choisy)
Western Ghats Kokum Foundation, Panaji - Goa