Palakkad: The afternoon sun beats down on a one-acre plot at the edge of Attappadi, a tribal hamlet in Kerala’s northern Palakkad district.

Here, Maruthi moves quickly through rows of bright jamanthi (marigold) and vadamulla (globe amaranth), her hands working fast as she gathers blossoms in neat bundles.

A few metres away, local flower traders wait eagerly, watching as sack after sack of fresh flowers is filled. “We used to send our flowers to the market in Coimbatore,” Maruthi says, pausing briefly. “But now, with Onam here, demand is so high that vendors come straight to our farm to buy.”

Maruthi is one among hundreds of women driving the crores-worth Onam market in Kerala. Their efforts are steering the state towards greater self-reliance by producing much of the flowers, vegetables, and fruits needed for the harvest festival.

They are part of Kudumbashree, Kerala’s government-backed women’s network for poverty eradication and empowerment, which has 48 lakh members across the state. This year, Kudumbashree has made a massive intervention in the festival market through large-scale vegetable and flower farming.

Figures show that 13,879 Kudumbashree Joint Liability Groups (JLGs), each with 4–10 women, cultivated vegetables on 8,913 acres across Kerala targeting Onam. Another 4,531 groups carried out flower farming on 1,820 acres.

To boost these efforts, the state government allocated ₹14 crore this year, offering incentives and interest-free loans.

In Attappadi alone, Kudumbashree women farmed 25 acres of vegetables and six acres of flowers. Marigold, jasmine, globe amaranth and lotus were among the flowers in high demand for pookkalam (floral carpets), while vegetables like long beans, okra, tomato, chilli, bitter gourd, pumpkin and gourds also thrived.

“Harvesting is still on. This year, flower farming brought us great profit. We are getting up to ₹150 per kilo of jamanthi,” Maruthi says in her Tamil-tinged Malayalam.

In Kasaragod’s Bedadukka village, Radha V, a Kudumbashree farmer, is busy with plantain farming. She says the rush for vazhayila (plantain leaves used for sadya) and bananas is overwhelming. “We are getting bulk orders from shops, supermarkets, and auditoriums. Vendors pre-book, as everyone prefers plantain leaves over plastic,” she explains.

Kerala’s LSGD Minister MB Rajesh said Kudumbashree significantly increased cultivation this Onam, reducing the state’s dependence on Tamil Nadu. Alongside farming, Kudumbashree’s new festive ventures like Onasadya (cooked feasts), Onam kits (with payasam mix, spices, chips), and gift hampers have become a huge hit.

“Fifty thousand kits and 5,000 hampers sold out quickly. Orders for readymade Onasadya are soaring. Over 2,000 Onam fairs were organised to sell vegetables and other products,” Rajesh said.

He added that Kudumbashree has grown into a trusted brand, stabilising the prices of vegetables and flowers in the festival market.

According to H Dineshan, Executive Director of Kudumbashree, the initiative ensures pesticide-free vegetables for the Onam sadya and locally grown flowers for pookkalams. “It represents prosperity, resilience, and sustainability led by women,” he said.

Besides flowers and vegetables, Kudumbashree women also supply coconut oil, banana chips, pickles, flours, and curry powders. Authorities expect ₹30 crore in returns this Onam season, including ₹12–15 crore from vegetables and flowers alone.

Saplings for cultivation were distributed through Krishi Bhavans and Kudumbashree’s organic nurseries.

With Thiruvonam falling on September 5, Kerala’s homes and markets are glowing with the colours and flavours nurtured by Kudumbashree women—making this Onam not just festive, but truly self-reliant.