The country’s first corporate airport has had a massive yield of vegetables in the free grounds under the solar panels. The solar panels occupy about 20 hectares in the airport, producing 30 mw power. Out of this, vegetables are grown on 3 hectares, yielding a total of 40 tons of vegetables a year. Organic vegetables, without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides are grown there as well.
Covaipost.com/kerala-news describes how the CIAL authorities are planning to increase the area under cultivation and increase the production to 60 tons. Pumpkin, Ash gourd, cucumber, long beans, bitter gourd, lady’s finger, snake gourd, green chillies, cabbage were grown here. The cultivation of turmeric, ginger and drumsticks have also been taken up on an experimental basis.