For Jayakumar I, a 26-year-old from the Muthuvan tribe of Mulakuthara settlement, opening a spice shop is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream and a major step towards strengthening his community.
Mr. Jayakumar, a post graduate from Edamalakkuda, the state’s first tribal panchayat, has spent years witnessing tribal farmers being exploited by middlemen by buying organic produce at low prices.
“It has been my dream for several years to open a spice shop selling organic products made by the people of Edamalakkuda,” he says. “This dream finally came true last week when I opened my shop at Chattupara, near Adimala, on the Kochi-Dhanushkodi National Highway.
“The main mission of the store is to ensure a fair price and a reliable market for the farmers in the settlement. Our community produces high quality organic spices, but the farmers do not have proper access to the market and are forced to sell to middlemen who dictate the rates,” says Mr. Jayakumar.
“I will collect items from my settlement at a fair price to sell in my shop. When farmers get the payment they deserve, more people will be encouraged to take up farming. My aim is to give them that opportunity,” he says.
The store offers organic staples such as cardamom, pepper, ginger, turmeric, honey, Malabar tamarind and Indian frankincense. Mr. Jayakumar also plans to sell various forest products collected by the tribes. He says the Director Devikulam Taluk Industries Officer and State Bank of India have given vital support to his initiative.
The Edamalakkudy farmers’ support movement is gaining wider institutional support. Subash Chandran, an author who has written extensively on the region, recently requested the chief minister’s office to ensure a Geographical Indication (GI) designation for Edamalakkudy’s organic cardamom.
“The organic cardamom grown in Edamalakkudy is a unique variety. The GI tag will greatly increase its market value and help indigenous farmers,” says Mr. Chandran. The CMO has since directed the Chief Conservator of Forests to look into the matter and submit a report.
Published – March 3, 2026 7:48 PM IST
