Sreeharitha FIG of Perumbalam Island Panchayath of Alappuzha district has shown a new way in value addition of oriental pickling melon. This FIG is an ‘A’ grade vegetable cluster of the Dept. of Agriculture involved in organic vegetable cultivation, but marketing was a problem due to lack of storage and conveyance facilities. Searching for methods for value addition of vegetables, they came to know about the Entrepreneurship Development Programme taken up by the KVK at at Cheriyanad Panchayath on value addition and marketing of oriental pickling melon (Kanivellari) based products like bath soap, face pack, pickle (oil and salted), RTS (Ready to Serve) Drink, squash, baji and vattal (dries) etc. Then members of this FIG requested and attended a training programme by the KVK on value addition of oriental pickling melon under ATMA technology programme. Following this, they started production of Cucumber soap, squash and pickle. Their products were highly appreciated in exhibitions and melas. Now they are planning to increase the production and availing drug license. Using 100 kg oriental pickling melon, they could prepare 2500 soaps of 100g each which fetched more than Rs.70000, whereas by selling as vegetable, they could got only Rs.1000 at the rate Rs.10 per kg.
