Rosewood Triumph: The Success Story of Ramesh Raja's Tree Cultivation
In the tranquil village of Sundara Rajapuram, Ramesh Raja's coconut grove concealed an unexpected treasure: an Indian Rosewood tree. This discovery ignited a transformative journey, turning their modest farm into a thriving plantation. They harvested Teak, Rosewood, and even Pepper, demonstrating how tree cultivation can bring prosperity to traditional farming.
Meet Ramesh Raja, a resident of Sundara Rajapuram Village in Virudhunagar District. Ramesh's family owned a coconut grove, and among those trees, there stood an Indian Rosewood tree. Little did they know about its hidden value until someone informed them that it could be used for making furniture. Inspired by this revelation, Ramesh and his family began crafting various furniture pieces for their home, and as compliments flowed in, they decided to plant more Rosewood trees.
Their land, spanning 9 acres, featured 6.5 acres dedicated to 470 coconut saplings, thoughtfully spaced at 30-foot intervals. In addition to the coconuts, they diligently nurtured 1200 Teak saplings and 10 Indian Rosewood saplings, with Teak trees strategically planted among the Coconut trees.
Their hard work paid off when they recently harvested seven Teak trees, fetching them Rs 1.40 lakhs. Furthermore, they harvested three Indian Rosewood trees, utilizing two for their domestic needs and selling one impressive tree, approximately 47 feet tall, for a staggering Rs 3 lakhs. This particular Rosewood tree, aged 15 years and towering over 25 feet, exhibited exceptional growth.
With about 20 Teak trees remaining, initially harvested for their daughter's birthday celebrations and later used for constructing her house, Ramesh noted the excellent quality of timber in their region.
With around 700 trees still on their land, even if they decide to sell them at a reduced price, they anticipate earning approximately 2 crore rupees. The success of selling that Rosewood tree for 3 lakhs ignited a passion within Ramesh, leading him to plant more Rosewood and Red Sandalwood trees. As they continued to cut the Teak trees, they simultaneously planted and nurtured these new trees, witnessing impressive growth over the past year.
