Sweet and sour success

Shekharaiah T H M Gaddalagatte explores tamarind cultivation and trade in Vijayanagara district, known as the land of tamarind

It is hard to resist tangy and zesty tamarind dishes, as they tickle our taste buds in a unique way. Come summer, chutneys and thokkus made from tamarind pulp (both raw and ripe) and flowers find a place in Indian kitchens. The humble fruit is credited with adding an extra zing to curries, rasams, sambars, chutneys and gojjus.

In the plains of Karnataka, Kudligi taluk in Vijayanagara district is home to more than 20,000 naturally-grown tamarind trees. It is popularly known as the ‘Land of Tamarind’.

Groundnut is the primary crop of the region, it is sown during monsoon and harvested by the year-end. So the farmers, relatively free after the groundnut harvest, are engaged in tamarind trade from January to May.

A majority of the trees stand tall even without special attention and care. A few enthusiastic farmers have planted them in fields, on the roadsides, in backyards and in open spaces. Tamarind has served as a secondary source of income for many farmers.

Beating the branches

The ground work for tamarind harvesting begins from monsoon, when the contractors mark the trees that have already begun sprouting tender pods.

Harvesting tamarind comprises of beating the branches, collecting the fallen pods and transporting them to be processed and sold. Beating branches of tamarind trees, a daunting task, is taken up by skilled labourers who are adept at reaching the top of the trees, where the branches are narrower and thinner. Even as the beating is in progress, another set of labourers collect the fallen pods, load them onto bullock carts, tractors and tempos and take them into the villages for processing, says contractor Jagadish N M.

Cleaning and packaging are the final stages of the trade. ‘Thap, thap, thap’ go the sticks that beat the pods on flat stones. Chatting amongst themselves, the villagers peel the shells, clean the veins, de-seed the pulp, flatten it and organise the tamarind in circular patterns.

The superior quality tamarind variety, 'chapati', is wider in size, more sour in taste and has brown-and-gold flesh. It enjoys the highest demand.

The regular variety of tamarind with red flesh, little sourness and less fibre, costs less. Even as the processed tamarind hits the nearby Hosapet market, traders from Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu rush to the villages to strike a deal.

Apart from the pulp, tamarind shells are used in brick kilns, and the fibre is used for making toys and crafts. The seeds are used in the preparation of coffee and gum.

A staple

The green pods are meant for fresh consumption, while the half-ripe and ripe ones are sold by weight in markets and have a longer shelf life. Rich in antioxidants, tamarind is full of magnesium, fibre and iron. It is said to relieve constipation and aid digestion.

Having been found originally in the African continent, the fruit was introduced to India long ago.

Whatever be the occasion or the reason, tamarind dishes have a special place on the plates of people in Karnataka. According to Gaddalagatte Basavarajanna, a local, "In the earlier days, we relished tamarind chutney with ragi mudde and jowar rottis."

In some households, the dishes are first offered to the priest and later savoured by the family members. Residents believe in strengthening bonds by sending tamarind dishes to their friends, neighbours and relatives. Thus, tamarind is an ambassador of goodwill and harmony too.

The climate in Kudligi offers the perfect atmosphere for tamarind cultivation. The tropical climate, the plains and scarce rainfall are tailor-made for its cultivation. Though Kudligi boasts of irrigation facilities, people are accustomed to drought and arid weather.

Processing unit

Kudligi taluk might soon get a tamarind processing unit of its own, the first in the state. This is if the efforts of MLA Shrinivas N T, backed by NABARD, bear fruit.

The four months of harvest sees crores of rupees of investment and revenue, with the involvement of farmers, owners, contractors, labourers, transporters, middlemen and traders, who work in tandem.

Kudligi registers a Rs 5 crore turnover in the tamarind sector. Owners earn around Rs 5,000 per tree. Contractors charge Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,000 for each tree, labourers charge Rs 1,000 for beating the branches, Rs 400 for stacking and transporting pods and Rs 15 to Rs 20 for processing a kg of tamarind.

The regular variety of tamarind is sold for Rs 7,000 to Rs 9,000 per quintal and the 'chapati' variety fetches Rs 18,000 to Rs 22,000 per quintal.

People of Kudligi are well-versed with profit and loss. Contractor Galeppa from Genathikatte village says the yield this year is a little low and therefore, the demand for tamarind will be high.

Tamarind, as a staple fruit and as a secondary occupation, is a boon in the taluk. Kudligi’s people have turned a 'sour' fruit trade into a 'sweet' profitable turnover.

(Translated from Kannada by Jyotsana P Dharwad)