കയറുമ്മക്കായ കൃഷിക്ക് ഏറ്റവും അനുയോജ്യമായ സമയം - Now Is the Time for Rope Culture of Greenshell Mussel in Kerala

കേരളത്തിൽ കല്ലുമ്മക്കായയുടെ റോപ്പ് കൾച്ചർ തുടങ്ങാൻ ഏറ്റവും അനുയോജ്യമായ സമയം

Kannur & Kasaragod Lead the Movement – And the Rest of Kerala Can Join Too

Every year, when the monsoon ends and Kerala’s coastal waters regain their clarity and salinity, a quiet opportunity emerges along our estuaries and backwaters. This is the season when greenshell mussel farming begins.

And right now—November to December—

Now is the time for rope culture of greenshell mussel in Kerala.

This is when natural mussel seed (spat) becomes abundant, water quality stabilises, and growth conditions become perfect. For farmers in Kannur and Kasaragod, this is the most active and profitable season of the year.

Rope Culture: The Heart of Mussel Farming

Rope culture is simple, nature-friendly, and proven. Mussel seeds collected from natural beds are wrapped onto ropes and suspended from racks or rafts in estuaries. Without feed, without chemicals, and without complicated machinery, mussels grow rapidly by filtering the plankton naturally present in the water.

A single season—just 4 to 5 months—is enough to harvest a full crop.

Kannur & Kasaragod: Kerala’s Mussel Belt

Northern Kerala has the perfect combination of:

• Plankton-rich backwaters

• Clean tidal creeks and estuaries

• Ideal salinity after the monsoon

• Strong community expertise

• Women-led self-help groups taking the lead

• Support from CMFRI, Fisheries Department & KVKs

Places like Padanna, Cheruvathur, Nileshwar, Chandragiri, Payangadi, Valapattanam, Dharmadam and Thalassery have become Kerala’s most successful nodes for mussel rope culture.

Even areas like Olanilam in Chokli near Thalassery fall within the same favourable zone, provided they have gentle tidal flow and moderate depth.

Why This Season Matters

The best time to begin rope culture is:

• Late October to December (with November as the ideal month)

Because:

• Mussel spat availability is highest

• Estuarine salinity stabilises after monsoon

• Water temperature becomes optimal

• Natural food (plankton) is abundant

• Mussels attach faster and grow better

A well-seeded rope can yield 10–12 kg of mussels per metre, giving excellent returns for small-scale farmers and women group

Scope in the Rest of Kerala

Though North Kerala dominates mussel culture, many other parts of Kerala have potential, including:

• Kozhikode & Malappuram coasts

• Thrissur estuarine systems

• Ernakulam coastal stretches

• Selected water bodies in Alappuzha & Kollam

With scientific site selection, cluster-based approaches, women-led cooperatives, and value addition (frozen meat, pickles, cutlets), mussel farming can become a statewide livelihood model.

Conclusion

As we enter the post-monsoon window, the message for coastal Kerala is clear:

Now is the time for rope culture of greenshell mussel.The season, the water, and the seed are all ready—this is the moment to launch your unit.

Kannur, Kasaragod and other northern districts have already shown what is possible. The rest of Kerala can seize the same opportunity—profitably, sustainably, and with very low investment.