When Tomichan M. Thomas and Sharad Patil started Elamala Bio Tech Lab at Chellarkovil nearly a decade back, they were not sure whether cardamom farmers, extensively using toxic pesticides, could take to bio-farming.
After field studies and trials, with the support of Sivaprasad, former head of the department of Agriculture Microbiology at Kerala Agriculture University, the lab was developed to supply biofungicides and biofertilizers to cardamom farmers.
Cardamom plants are sensitive to inputs and absorb pesticides and fertilizers in a short period resulting in high production, a factor which prompts farmers to widely use pesticides even after its ban in the State. However, bio-farming focusses on rejuvenation of soil and developing microorganisms to counter pests.
