With the commencement of the harvest season, the weekly markets functioning in Thammampatti and its surrounding areas have started receiving bulk stock of tamarind from the Kolli Hills in the neighbouring district of Namakkal.
The villages of Azhripatti, Kundani, Velikkadu, and Keeraikkadu on the Kolli Hills have more than 1,000 tamarind trees. The harvest season commences in March and used to continue till the month of May.
More than 75 of the harvested tamarind is being marketed by the farmers through the weekly market in Thammampatti. A large number of traders from the neighbouring districts collected the tamarind.
According to the farmers of Kolli Hills, due to the recurring drought, the production of tamarind was not on the expected lines. The shortfall in the tamarind production will only lead to increase in its price in the days to come, they said.