Thrissur: Dr Tennison is used to the questions posed by visitors on the weeds and shrubs present on his compound. He responds to them with a smile saying that the plants are not mere weeds but medicinal plants. He has cultivated arrowleaf sida (Kurunthotti in Malayalam) on his 4-acre land at Parekkattukara in Muriyad of Thrissur. The scientific name of arrowleaf sida is Sida rhombifolia.
A dentist by profession, Anandapuram native Dr Tennison Chacko is adamant about continuing cultivation on his ancestral property. As arrowleaf sida is an essential ingredient and has high market value, Tennison decided to cultivate it. He came to know more about farming arrowleaf sida from the herbal garden projects initiated by Mattathur Labour Cooperative Society.
The society helped him in cultivating the medicinal plant. They sell arrowleaf sida to large scale Ayurveda companies on contract basis and manages all responsibilities from providing seeds to selling the plant. All parts of the plant except leaves can be sold and it fetches impressive price in the market.
Farming started in June with 12 kilograms of seeds provided by the society. The monsoon army of the society tilled the land ahead of cultivation. Also the seed was sowed by specially trained workers. Now arrowleaf sida is ready for harvest in the farm.
Dr Tennison is on a mission to take different steps in farming. He had planted over 400 jackfruit trees three years ago and they are about to bear fruits now. There are 60 breadfruit trees also. Tennison’s family is a traditional farmers family and their major crops are banana, nutmeg and coconut.
Tennison runs a dental clinic in Mala and started growing different plants only 4 years ago. The 50-year-old doctor also maintains over 1000 Kadali banana plants, 250 mangosteen trees and 60 rambutan trees on his farm in 6-acre land.
