Agriculture forms the mainstay of the population of the district. The soil in the three natural divisions generally fall under three types. In the highland region it is laterite. In the midland, the soil is a red ferruginous loam of laterutic origin with an admixture of clay and sand. The coastal strip is sandy. Diversity of crops and heterogeneity in cultivation are the key notes of agriculture here.
The eastern tract comprises of forests and hilly areas. The forest comprise of a variety of timber with teak and other plantations. The hilly areas are mostly cleared and put to private cultivation; the important crops being rubber, cashew and ginger. In the skeletal plateue areas, cashew trees are cultivated, while in some patches, arecanut,pepper and cocoa are grown. In the coastal tract, paddy, coconuty, arecanut, cashew, tobacco, vegetables and and tapioca are cultivated.
The important crops raised and their extent in the district are as below.
| Sl. No | Crops | Area in Ha. | ||
|
|
Paddy | 8,974 | ||
| 2. | Coconut | 31,2453 | ||
|
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Arecanut | 12,225 | ||
|
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Pepper | 3,402 | ||
|
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Cashew | 16,143 | ||
|
|
Tapioca | 506 | ||
|
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Tobacco | 835 | ||
|
|
Rubber | 7,643 | ||
|
|
Sweet Potato | 475 | ||
|
|
Vegitables | 948 | ||
|
|
Pulses | 1,134 | ||
|
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Banana | 1,877 | ||
|
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Ginger | 730 | ||
|
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Oil Seeds | 4,070 | ||
Land use Pattern
As per survey reports, Kasaragod district covers a geographical area of 1,96,130 hectres. The composition of the geographical features are as detailed below.
| Particulars | Area in Hectres |
| Forest area | 5,625 |
| Land put to non agricultural use | 15,131 |
| Barren & uncultivable | 11,692 |
| Permanent pastures and grazing land | 222 |
| Land under miscellaneous tree crops | 2,369 |
| Cultivable wastes | 17,194 |
| Fallow other than | 2,021 |
| Current fallow | 2,590 |
| Net sown area | 1,29,299 |
| Area sown more than once | 1,459 |
| Total cropped area (gross) | 1,40,757 |
| Net irrigated area | 30,419 |
| Gross irrigated area | 33,942 |
Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) :
The central plantation crops research institute is an establishment having national importance. With head quarters at Kudlu, 5 kms. north of Kasaragod, the CPCRI has regional stations at Kayamkulam, Vittal and Kozhikode. Its research centres are at Peechi, Palode, Hirehally, Appangala, Mohithnagar,and Kehikuchi. There are seed farms at Kidu and Sathigod, one field station at Thrissurand a World Coconut Germplasm Centre at Sipighat. The objectives of the CPCRI are to serve as national forum for improving genetic potential of plantation crops, to conduct basic and applied research on various aspects of these crops , to co-ordinate research works being done by other institutions and agencies in the country, to serve as an information centre on all matters pertaining to these crops, to produce genetically superior planting materials and to carry out all India co-ordinated cropping improvement project on coconut, areca nut, spices and cashew nut. CPCRI was established in 1970 by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. Research is carried out on various branches of Agricultural sciences such as gardening, soil chemistry, plant production, micro biology, plant diseases, cattle rearing, pisci culture etc.
T into D, Mangala Aracanut, new spices of Cardomom, Turmeric and Cashew, mixed crop and multi crop system, etc are some of the contributions of the CPCRI for the development of agriculture. The most remarkable venture is tissue culture in coconut. Research on various diseases of coconut, arecanut, cashew, pepper and field cropshas given better yields.
Quotable Quotes:
“We all have one thing in common – a 24 hour day.
It’s how we use our time that makes the difference.”