Betel wine cultivation is practised in Satyavaram, Mangavaram, Aratlakota and nearby villages of Tuni which are rich in loamy clay soils suitable for Betel vine cultivation.
Students of grade VIII visited the betel farm of Sri Sakileti Nanaji , a farmer and a parent of our student, to understand how betel vine cultivation takes place .
Mr Nanaji welcomed the students and shared the details of farming with his rich experience .
The students Joy had no bounds as they ventured into the lush green farm and made their way through the climbers .
The betel plants grow up taking the support of a plant called Avisa. The two main species that are grown in and around Tuni are Kali and papadi. The plants have a life span of 2 years during which they are harvested for 4 times. The betel leaves from Tuni are exported to the states of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
While papada kind of leaves are used in medicines the Kali eaves are famous for Paan . Once harvested they are bundled together to form a bunch called Moda.
The biology teacher Mrs Sujata explained the students about the medicinal properties of betel leaf. Betel leaves are the powerhouse of antioxides that can clear radicals from the body. They provide relief from internal pains and can act as antiseptic and breath fresheners.