Kadaladi Kalasam Palmyra Farmers Producer Company Limited

Down here in Kadaladi, at 1/629, things move a bit slower depending on the season. We are the Kadaladi Kalasam Palmyra Farmers Producer Company Limited, and we focus on the palmyra trees which are all over this landscape. If you know this area, you know how tough these trees are. Our group of farmers decided to work together because it’s easier to handle the palmyra products that way. Whether it’s the fruit or the jaggery or just the leaves, there’s always something to be done. The sun hits Kadaladi pretty hard most of the year, so we usually get most of the climbing and harvesting done in the cooler hours of the morning. It’s a bit of a trek sometimes to get out to the further trees, but we manage. Our little spot at 1/629 is where we bring everything back to. There’s usually a lot of activity with people coming and going, talking about the weather or the next yield. We aren't doing anything fancy here, just basic work that’s been passed down. The palmyra tree gives us a lot, but you have to work for it. It’s a lot of manual labor, climbing and cutting, and then processing it all in the yard. We don't use much machinery because the old ways still work well enough for us. It feels good to see the bags lined up ready for transport. It’s just us local folks doing what we know best in our own corner of the world. No big plans, just daily chores.