The kokum fruit, known for its tangy flavour, holds a special place in the cooking of the Western Ghats.

Kokum, scientifically named Garcinia indica, is a fruit-bearing plant in the mangosteen family. However, the fruit is becoming increasingly rare due to a drop in its cultivation.

“Most of it only grew wild without any proper care or irrigation. They were almost going extinct when my father started to grow them on our plantation,” explains Ramesh Rai (68).

His father, Narayana Rai from Ballikan village in Puttur, was among the first to notice the decline in kokum production and take action.

After Narayana’s passing, his son took over the management of the estate, where more than 10,000 kokum trees are now flourishing and yielding fruit.

In 1950, Narayana acquired the land and converted a dense forest into a thriving plantation. He planted about 12,000 kokum trees, of which approximately 10,000 have survived..

When he began growing kokum, people thought it was pointless. But for him, it was important to save a native tree he cared about.

Narayana faced big challenges early on. Other farmers couldn’t see how kokum, a little-known plant with low demand, could be of any use. This led them to be reluctant to grow it.

Ramesh remembers how his father worked hard to educate farmers about kokum. “It took 3 to 5 years for farmers to see results and understand its benefits,” he says.

Many saw their success and got plants from them. They’ve given away about 200,000 saplings, charging Rs 5 to Rs 12 each.

Narayana would make different kokum products like massage oils and kokum juice. “Though we have the equipment and facilities to continue production, we have not actively pursued it since his passing,” Ramesh shares, hoping to start it again someday.

Sharing future plans, he adds, “By next year, we plan to focus on harvesting and marketing kokum in larger quantities.”