Johnson is a celebrity now. The 55-year-old farmer from Payippad panchayat in Changanassery of Kottayam district is in the news for reaping a bumper harvest of watermelon from his land. “Although I have been a farmer from the age of 13, I never cultivated this. It was my son Ninson who suggested this. Neither did I expect such a harvest nor so much media attention. I spent over ₹1 lakh on preparing the land and have earned nearly ₹5 lakhs profit so far,” shares Johnson.
Watermelon cultivation has not caught up in Kerala; during the summer months, the fruit comes in bulk from neighbouring states for sale along roadsides and fruit shops. However, the scene is slowly changing as farmers are cultivating the fruit on an individual or collective basis. “What has made me happy is that at least 50 farmers, most of them young, called me up to know more about cultivating the fruit. I have proved that this is a lucrative business and hope my success will inspire many more farmers to take it up. Next year I plan to do it on a bigger scale,” says Johnson.
