Pineapple Farmers' Association (PFA)

Pineapple Farmers' Association (PFA)
Farmers face many problems in the cultivation and marketing of pineapple. So a group of
farmers decided to form an association of Pineapple farmers in 1990 and registered the Pineapple
Farmers' Association, Vazhakulam under the Charitable Societies Act. Anybody residing in
Kerala doing pineapple farming can be a member. There were 120 members when the
Association started. Now more than 500 members are there in the association doing very good
pineapple farming. The service area of PFA is Kerala State. The main objectives of PFA are to
unite and strengthen the pineapple farmers, make awareness about farming, marketing and other
related subjects, promote marketing and processing facilities and help farmers to avail financial
and technical assistance from govt. and non govt. organizations and banks. The PFA is
distributing good quality planting materials, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, growth regulators
etc in subsidised rates to the members. The leaders of PFA go to farmers and give timely
technical advice to them. In the marketing places if any problem arises, PFA will reach and
extend their assistance to farmers.
The PFA used to conduct Agricultural Seminars and meetings for farmers and give
classes by experts in farming and diseases and pest control, post harvest management, loans etc.
Every year the PFA conducts a three day Agriculture Fair at Vazhakulam. This is a festival of
Pineapple farmers. The association presents the 'Pineapple Sree' Award to the best Pineapple
Farmer. The best Pineapple Farmer in Kerala is selected by a team of Experts from Kerala
Agricultural University and the Department of Agriculture. The pineapple cultivated by the
farmers of Vazhakulam is the sweetest pineapple available in India. Hence Vazhakulam is also
known as the city of Pineapple. Mauritius is the main variety cultivated in Kerala and Kew
variety is rarely grown. The cultivation of Pineapple started here during 1940-50s. Now
pineapple is cultivated in almost all districts of Kerala. However, big farms of pineapple are
mainly in Emakulam, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, ldduki and Kozhikode districts. PFA strived
very much for getting GI indication registered for boosting the export of Vazhakulam pineapple.
PFA can be contacted over phone: 0485-2261161, 2262615 and Website: www.pineapplecity.org