News:2017-01-24/Report/asias-best-marijuana-is-grown-in-india-and-its-in-kerala-the-full-story-of-idukki-gold

NewsReport26 October 2016

Asia's best marijuana is grown in India and it's in Kerala — the full story of Idukki Gold

India Times profiled the history and decline of Idukki Gold, locally known as 'Neela Chadayan' (blue curly), believed to be an 80/20 hybrid of Indian and foreign (possibly Amsterdam) genetics that entered circulation in the 1980s with migration into Idukki's High Range. For decades, illegal cultivation in the forest was the economic lifeline of the High Range region, with large plantations funded by investors employing young men for years at a stretch. Cultivators faced raids from both Kerala and Tamil Nadu sides, with Tamil officials reportedly shooting at suspected planters. As forest cover depleted and enforcement intensified, cultivation migrated to the Andhra-Odisha border where planters initially tried Idukki genetics but achieved inferior quality, shifting to the local variety 'Sheelavathi' which was better adapted. Idukki THC content reached 8% versus under 5% for AOB varieties. The harvested AOB product was smuggled back to Idukki and sold as 'Idukki Gold' domestically and internationally. The 2016 cardamom crop failure drove some Idukki farmers back to cannabis cultivation inside Mathikettan Shola biodiversity park. Increasingly, processing into hashish occurred at source in the AOB fields rather than in Idukki.

Read the source report

PlaceIdukki DistrictKeralaIndia

Growing regionWestern Ghats

Growing areaIdukki

Approximate location9.85, 76.97

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2016-10-26 Report Asia's best marijuana is grown in India and it's in Kerala — the full story of Idukki Gold India Times profiled the history and decline of Idukki Gold, locally known as 'Neela Chadayan' (blue curly), believed to be an 80/20 hybrid of Indian and foreign (possibly Amsterdam) genetics that entered circulation in the 1980s with migration into Idukki's High Range. For decades, illegal cultivation in the forest was the economic lifeline of the High Range region, with large plantations funded by investors employing young men for years at a stretch. Cultivators faced raids from both Kerala and Tamil Nadu sides, with Tamil officials reportedly shooting at suspected planters. As forest cover depleted and enforcement intensified, cultivation migrated to the Andhra-Odisha border where planters initially tried Idukki genetics but achieved inferior quality, shifting to the local variety 'Sheelavathi' which was better adapted. Idukki THC content reached 8% versus under 5% for AOB varieties. The harvested AOB product was smuggled back to Idukki and sold as 'Idukki Gold' domestically and internationally. The 2016 cardamom crop failure drove some Idukki farmers back to cannabis cultivation inside Mathikettan Shola biodiversity park. Increasingly, processing into hashish occurred at source in the AOB fields rather than in Idukki. https://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/idukki-gold-the-legendary-indian-marijuana-that-you-may-never-get-your-hands-on-264249.html India Kerala Idukki District 9° 51' 0.00" N, 76° 58' 12.00" E Western Ghats Idukki