Fruit tree from the Ghats set to take root in farmlands

Documentary of Forest dept. highlights nutritional value, farming potential of Moottilpazham

Just as the monsoon sets in over the southern Western Ghats, Kerala usually witnesses a profusion of a seasonal fruit in its tropical wild. When it ripens, the fruit sets off a race among the wildlife, from tuskers to tortoises, to enjoy its protein-rich yield.

Called Moottilpazham, this plentiful wild fruit is soon set to make its way to our gardens as well as diet, thanks to an initiative by the Kerala Forest Department. An 11-minute documentary film that propagates the lesser-known tale of this fruit and its potential for cultivation is slated for a release next week.

According to G. Prasad, Assistant Conservator of Forest (Social Forestry), who conceptualised the movie, Moottilpuli, the tree, is endemic to the southern region of the Western Ghats that extends from South Canara to Kanyakumari. “The tree, Baccaurea courtallensis, is a member of Euphorbiaceae family and the fruit derives its name from the way it bunches up at the base of the tree and even touches the ground. It blooms in February and March while the fruit matures between June to August,” he explained.