Nutmeg variety · Improved landrace
Punnathanam Jathy
Also known as Punnathanam nutmeg; Punnathanam selection
Idukki district, Kerala; developed by farmer Varkey Thoman · Varkey Thoman (farmer-breeder) · 1994
Extra-large nutmegs (4.5 cm long × 3 cm wide); high yield with low fruit breakage; pest tolerant. Tested and validated by IISR, KAU, and NIF; recipients of 8th National Innovation Foundation Award (2015).
Key facts
| Type | Improved landrace |
|---|---|
| Origin | Idukki district, Kerala; developed by farmer Varkey Thoman |
| Breeder / source | Varkey Thoman (farmer-breeder) |
| Year released | 1994 |
| Parentage | Selection from local varieties; introduced 1994 from seedlings brought from Kottayam to Idukki in 1957 |
| Yield | Average 3000 fruits per mature tree per year; 50 dry fruits weigh 1 kg; 250 dry maces weigh 1 kg |
| Tolerance | Pest tolerant; good performance in Idukki's high-range conditions |
| Distinctive features | Vegetatively propagated; large, bold seeds; low fruit breakage; whole mace development excellent |
| Grown in | Idukki, Ernakulam, Kottayam, and Thiruvananthapuram districts of Kerala; over 500 saplings distributed; increasingly adopted in high-range areas |
| Also known as | Punnathanam nutmeg; Punnathanam selection |
Figures are indicative, compiled from public agricultural sources (ICAR institutes, State Agricultural Universities, the Spices Board and the National Innovation Foundation) and vary with soil, season and management. Confirm with your local package of practices.
Punnathanam Jathy in detail
An extra-large nutmeg developed in Idukki, Kerala, by farmer Varkey Thomman through selection from a local variety, validated by national research institutions and now grown across Kerala.
Origin & story
Varkey Thomman moved from Kottayam to Idukki in 1957, bringing nutmeg seeds with him. After years of observation and selective propagation, he formally established the Punnathanam variety in 1994. It received the 8th National Grassroots Innovation Award in 2015. His son Shajan Varghese continues the farm and nursery in Idukki, raising and distributing saplings across Kerala and neighbouring states. Varkey Thomman died in 2020.
How it grows
Propagated vegetatively by budding, though Thomman also raised saplings from kernel, which he held to live longer. The variety requires comparatively little maintenance. Over 500 saplings have been distributed across Kerala districts, and the nursery now also supplies growers in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Goa.
Quality & character
Extra-large fruits (4.5 cm long x 3 cm wide), with an average yield of about 3,000 fruits per mature tree per year. Roughly 50 dry fruits weigh 1 kg and about 250 dry maces weigh 1 kg. Whole mace development is excellent, and the variety shows comparatively low fruit breakage in handling and tolerance to pests.
Why it matters to buyers
The larger nut and mace size suit buyers who value size and appearance, with whole, bold seeds that mean less processing waste. The variety was tested and validated by the Indian Institute of Spices Research (IISR), Kerala Agricultural University (KAU), and the National Innovation Foundation. Reported farm-gate rates from the grower run around Rs350/kg for nutmeg and Rs2,000/kg for mace.
About nutmeg
Nutmeg in India's Western Ghats is no ancient crop—it arrived on colonial spice ships and made its quiet home in Kerala's shaded homesteads over the past three centuries. Today, where farmers once relied on seedlings of mixed sex and uncertain character, ICAR-IISR in Kozhikode has released proven female clones and farmer-tested selections that turn an…
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