Kerala’s Onam vegetable drive yields 2.52 lakh tonnes, minister says

The Kerala Agriculture department’s Onam campaign, ‘Onathinorukkam Vilavinte Vismayam 2026,’ has produced 2.52 lakh tonnes of vegetables, Agriculture Minister T. Siddique announced on Wednesday. The vegetables were cultivated across 22,137 hectares in the state, he said while formally inaugurating the state-wide harvest at the Secretariat campus.

The campaign, launched on June 5, is aimed at ensuring the regional availability of vegetables for Onam, the state’s most important harvest festival. Revenue Minister A.P. Anil Kumar and Animal Husbandry Minister Bindhu Krishna attended the inaugural event.

Under this year’s campaign, the agriculture department distributed 70,000 packets of hybrid seeds and one crore saplings. The implementation was carried out through farmers, Krishi Bhavans, local bodies, cooperatives, Kudumbasree units, students, and voluntary organisations, making it a mass movement for vegetable production.

Minister Siddique said that public campaigns of this nature are essential to guarantee the production of safe-to-eat vegetables and to achieve regional self-sufficiency in vegetable production. He highlighted the need to reduce dependence on vegetables brought in from outside the state, which often carry risks of pesticide residue and spoilage during transit.

The minister also announced that the state government plans to celebrate World Coconut Day on September 2 in a grand manner. The focus will be on boosting coconut production, value addition, entrepreneurship, and marketing, he added. This is part of the state’s broader efforts to enhance its agricultural output.

On the Secretariat campus, more than 20 types of vegetables were grown on a 60-cent plot for this year’s campaign, showcasing the potential of organic cultivation in small spaces. The harvested produce from this plot was also offered during the ceremony.

The campaign is seen as a collaborative effort involving multiple stakeholders. Krishi Bhavans, the state’s agriculture extension centres, played a key role in mobilising farmers and distributing inputs. Local bodies and cooperatives facilitated community-level cultivation on fallow lands and homestead plots. Kudumbasree women’s groups, students from various schools, and voluntary organisations contributed to the initiative.

The emphasis on vegetable production during Onam is significant because the festival season sees a spike in demand for vegetables, traditionally used in the preparation of the grand Onam feast. By promoting local cultivation, the department seeks to ensure that fresh, safe vegetables are available to households across the state.

With the harvest now under way, the department will monitor the supply chain to ensure that the produce reaches markets in a timely manner. The success of the campaign is expected to guide future strategies for achieving year-round vegetable self-sufficiency in Kerala.