Plantations in Idukki

Plantations in Idukki

The modern history of the idukki district starts with the advent of European planters to this region. In 1877 Kerala Varma, the Raja of Poonjar, sold 227 sq. miles of Kannan Devan Hills to John Daniel Munroe, a British planter. This has led to the birth of Kannan Devan Hill Produce Company. Kannan Thevan is an Adivasi who showed the hills to the Planters and today Kannan Devan Hills is internationally known. The tract was largely unexplored and covered with thick forests. There were no means of communications. In 1878 the Maharaja of Travancore confirmed the sale. J.D Munroe formed the North Travancore Land Planting and Agricultural Society. The members of the society developed their own estates in various parts of the High Ranges. The first cultivation was undertaken by A.W Turnor at Devikulam area in 1877.

The pioneers tried many cropes such as Coffee, Chinchona, Sisal and Cardamom, before discovering tea as the crop best suited for this area. Tea was first planted by A.H Sharp at Parvathi, now in Seven Mallay Estate by clearing 50 acres on a dense forest. In 1895 that area was purchased by Finlay Muir & Company now known as James Finlay and Company Limited. The Kannan Devan Hills Produce Company Limited and the Anglo-American Direct Tea Trading Company Ltd., owned 28 estates in these areas. The remaining 7 estates were owned by other British and Indian Companies not belonging to this group.

With the entry of large business houses possessing capital and technical skill, the pace of development was accelerated. Experienced tea planters were brought from Ceylon and large areas were planted with tea. Roads were opened, transport organised, houses and factories built and production rose rapidly in the succeeding years. Later M/s Tata Finlay Ltd., a company incorporated in India, purchased the Tea Estates from them and are running them now, under the name M/s Tata Finlay Ltd. Their operation are mainly confined to Munnar - Devikulam area.

After the implementation of the Land Reforms Act, about 70,000 acres of Kannan Devan Hills Village were resumed from the Company as excess land with out any compensation. It is also a bare fact which should not be forgotten that the deforestation process started in the High Ranges with the advent of Plantation industry by the end of 19th century, the ever green forests existed were totally destroyed in the area and substituted with the present greenish carpet of tea leaves.