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Pudukkottai Plains Pepper Cultivation: Farmers Earn Lakhs!
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News18•20-09-2026, 12:55
Pudukkottai Plains Pepper Cultivation: Farmers Earn Lakhs!
- •Pepper, traditionally grown in cool, hilly regions, is now successfully cultivated in the plains of Pudukkottai.
- •Farmers in Alangudi, Vadakad, and surrounding areas have been cultivating pepper for over 15 years, with many switching to this crop.
- •An acre yields 50 kg in the first harvest, increasing to 150 kg subsequently, with 300 plants per acre.
- •With pepper selling from Rs. 750 per kg, farmers are earning incomes in lakhs.
- •Pepper is grafted onto trees like Kiluvai and Vathanarayanan, providing income for over 50 years with proper maintenance.
Key Questions Answered
Farmers in Alangudi, Vadakad, and surrounding areas plant tree saplings like Kiluvai, Vathanarayanan, and Gmelina, and let them grow for three years before grafting and planting pepper saplings at the base of each tree.
A first-time one-acre pepper farm yields about 50 kg, which subsequently increases to 150 kg. With prices starting from 750 rupees per kilogram, this farming can provide income for over 50 years.
Farmers use only organic fertilizers such as cow dung, fish amino acid, Jeevamrutham, and agricultural waste, which prevents pest infestations. The primary variety currently cultivated in these plains is Karukka pepper (black pepper).
