The Hindu Business Line : Growing brinjals, watermelon near seashore!

Chennai March 19 Mr T.K. Venkataraman bought four grounds of land hardly 20 feet from the seashore in Akarai on East Coast Road in Chennai a decade ago. At one point of time, with the area being a lonely one and he being reluctant to shift his residence, he had wondered what to do with the land.

He, however, was firm in his decision to do something constructive that would give him complete satisfaction.

To Mr Venkataraman, building a cottage or complex was out of question ``as it does not fit my line of thinking''.

``I had time in hand after retirement and it gave me the freedom to pursue something. I happened to get interested in growing fruits and vegetables and this land was ideal to execute my idea."

Mr Venkataraman says as his land is close to the sea (hardly 15-20 feet) and the soil salty, it was fit only for growing coconut trees.

But he decided to try out something else. "I constructed a concrete fence around my land, secured 2-3 truckloads of farmyard manure and red sand and dumped them in pits dug-out in the space. A borewell solved my water problem, though the water was initially salty. I then sowed some brinjals and watermelons," Mr Venkataraman says.

Finding demand

With regular care the plants grew well. ``I was able to harvest nearly 250-300 watermelons and about 100-150 kg of brinjal, which were readily bought by roadside vendors. In fact, as crops were raised without any chemical fertilizers, the demand for the limited yield is good,'' he says.

At first, he had problems in marketing the watermelons and brinjals..Visits to several vendors to sell his produce were in vain as poor prices were offered. But he is now able to sell them through the organic farmers association outlet and individual vendors.

Seeing Mr Venkataraman's success story, his neighbours and relatives have now come forward to raise crops in their lands.

Mr Venkataraman is also growing watermelons on the roof of his home at Besant Nagar for which he has constructed a rudimentary wooden structure with casuarina logs, lined with gunny bags to prevent the fruits from falling. He has spread a layer of sand underneath and keeps it watered to prevent the fruits from shrinking due to evaporation loss.

Some always find a way through sheer will and Mr Venkatraman is one such.