Posopis juliflora - A Weed taking over Tamil Nadu

November 20 2007   William   writes:

Posopis juliflora is native to Central America and is large woody, thorny bush. It covers the majority of the land in Tamil Nadu and is a hindrance to developing sustainable agriculture. It was introduced to India in 1880 to provide fuel wood for the rural communities and is now also used to produce charcoal for the steel industry of North India or commercial resale. Reference (www.fao.org)

This plant has taken over Tamil Nadu. Everyspace that is not anually plowed is overrun by this <more> deeprooted hardy plant. Locals harvest the wood for cooking fuel and to make charcoal. Each harvest of joliflora removes nutrients from the soil and after three harvests joliflora takes twice as long to grow. This practice is driving the state towards large desertifications.

Here you can see the plant encroaching on the road and crop land.

juliflora near crops juliflora near road

It has also overrun an old the Tiruchuli Irrigation Administration (bottom) and a local temple(top).

juliflora near temple juliflora taking over water facility

Making Charcoal

I spent a day collecting the wood for an experiment for producing charcoal more efficiently. I can confirm that is some of the most unrewarding work in the world. The wood is heavy, full of thorns and then is burned down to ash that westerners use to BBQ a burger. The thorns (”mull” in Tamil) are serious 1inch spikes of pain. Several mull’s from the dead branches that litter the ground went all the way through my sandals. At the end of the day it took me 10 minutes to remove all the thorns suck in my sandals. The kicker, the laborers work bare foot.

The most common process for producing charcoal is as follows.

  1. Cut down the Juliflora with some form of sickle.
  2. Remove the small branches and cut the wood into two foot lengths.
  3. Stack the wood in a big pile.
  • wood stack ready to become charcoal
  1. Light it on fire.
  2. Cover it with dirt to control the burn temperature.
  • burning to produce charcoal

Categories: Tiruchuli

One Response to “Posopis juliflora - A Weed taking over Tamil Nadu”

  1. Murugesan Arumugam on 18 Dec 2008 at 6:17 am #

    Hi Willi,
    I’m Murugesan Arumgam, working as a design Engineer, settled in dubai.
    It’s nice to see all my childhood place in the internet. I went back to my childhood days. Yes i born & brought up from the small village Thiruchuli.

    Will are you in Thiruchuli now? Actually this place is very nice & nice people. Enjoy it. Keep in touch with me. Even if you need any help from there, please dont hesitate, my parents and relatives are there i can help you.
    Keep in touch with me.

    Regards
    Murugesan Arumugam.

Comments RSS

Leave a Reply