Aravakurichi in Karur district is deemed Tamil Nadu’s ‘Moringa Central’. About 2,984 hectares (approximately 7,373 acres) is under Moringa oleifera cultivation in this small panchayat town. It presents a sea of green to visitors for at least eight months of the year as the trees’ flavoursome drumstick ( murungakkai) pod and its by-products get ready for despatch.
“Of the 12,308 farmers in this area, at least 10,000 are moringa growers. It is a low-maintenance crop that does not require much irrigation, and therefore suits this area’s rocky soil conditions. We harvest at least 100 tonnes of moringa per day during peak season (July to September),” said R. Kannan, Assistant Agricultural Officer, Agri-Business Department, Aravakurichi branch.
A storehouse of nutrients, the drumstick is a common part of the daily diet in southern India. Moringa leaf ( murunga keerai) is also valued for its medicinal qualities, while its seed oil is of late making inroads into in the international market as a nutritional supplement.
