Under the high yielding variety programme, substantial increase in paddy production has been achieved, from 2200 kg. to 3200 kg. per hectare, depending upon the variety of seeds sown and the quantum of input such as fertilizer, manure and plant protection chemicals used. It is also a matter of concern that the percentage of area sown under paddy is decreasing year after year due to conversion of paddy fields for other purposes, like house construction, alternate crops etc. This is being seen as a direct fallout of the high cost of labour in Kerala

COCONUT

Next to paddy, cocount is the most important crop in the district, Its cultivation spreads over 88,000 hectares. Coconut is extensively grown throughout the district and the average yield is 45 per tree

OTHER CASH CROPS

An important cash crop grown in the district is cashew nut. The district plays a major role in its cultivation and production. The vast stretches of waste lands with low fertility status extends scope for expansion of cashew cultivation and its allied industries. Among spices, pepper occupies an important place covering an area of over 18,000 hectares. Pepper is mostly grown as an intercrop with coconut, arecanut and various fruit trees. In the hilly areas of the district, the inter cultivation is done with rubber and cashew. It is also grown in the homesteads of marginal farmers

RUBBER

Rubber is the most important industrial cash crop among the plantation crops. Nearly 50,000 hectares of land is under rubber cultivation. About 55 per cent of the rubber cultivation of Kannur district is in Thaliparamba taluk, followed by Thalassery and Kannur taluks. The yield of rubber per hectare varies from 2000 kg. to 4000 kgs. Rubber prices are witnessing an up ward trend these days thus assuring the agriculturists an improved cash return.

IRRIGATION

Kannur district has 16,835 hectares under irrigation, which is 3.24 per cent of the gross irrigated area in the state. In returns of total area under irrigation, Kannur district ranks last among districts in the state. Well density per sq. km. is 160 in coastal area, 90 in midland area and 48 in highland areas and it is estimated that there are 1.59 lakh wells in Kannur district. Only five per cent of the ground water potential is utilised at present for irrigation.

There are about 8609 minor irrigation schemes consisting of lift irrigation, wells and tanks in the district -only five per cent of the gross irrigated area in the State. The district does not have any major or medium irrigation schemes in operation. The two irrigation projects, viz., Pazhassi and Kattampally projects are incomplete. The Kattampally project which is a multi purpose project for irrigation, flood control etc. will protect 3168 acres of land from flood and intrusion of sea water and is expected to irrigate 1080 acres of land.

CENTRAL FARM OF ARALAM

The central State Farm located at Aralam about 60 kms. from Kannur town, is a unit of the state Farms Corporation of India Ltd., New Delhi under the Ministry of Agriculture. The farm was started in 1971 in an area of 3000 hectares. It has an undulating topography with hillocks and valleys. The main objective of starting this farm is to ensure large scale production of seeds and planting materials of all important plantation and horticultural crops of Kerala and neighbouring states. The farm is one of the main centers of production of hybrid coconuts like West Coast Tall, Lakshadweep etc The farm has a dairy unit also. A rabbit rearing unit is also maintained for the production and distribution of kids.

PEPPER RESEARCH STATION AT PANNIYUR

The launching of a small scheme by the erstwhile Madras State at Mattannur in 1949 marked the beginning of the pepper Research Station. It is aimed at augmenting production and productivity of pepper cultivation and its research. During 1950-51 the station was shifted to Thaliparamba. Consequent to the formation of the state it came under the Government of Kerala.

The institution is located in the hilly terrain, six kilometers away from Thaliparamba on the Thaliparamba-Alakode route and it spreads over 25.55 hectares. Research on various aspects of black pepper (pepper nigrum ) including production of new high yielding varieties is being conducted here. It has developed the first ever hybrid pepper in the world and has named it Panniyur I. Now the station is well known for its production of rooted cuttings. The highest germplasm collection of about 900 types of pepper vines is maintained in the research station

BROWN'S PLANTATION AT ANJIRAKANDY

Asia's largest plantation of cinnamon, the famous Brown's Plantation is at Anjarakandy near Thalassery. It has an area of nearly 500 acres. The plantation was started by the English East India company in 1767. Spices like pepper, nutmeg, clove and cinnamon were cultivated here, but finally cinnamon alone flourished.

ANIMAL HUSBANDRY

Cattle wealth is of considerable importance to the people of the district whose main occupation is agriculture. In Kannur, as in other parts of the state, bullocks and buffaloes are being used for agricultural work on the fields and cows for breeding and milk production. In rural parts of the district, more importance is attached to the draft animals and in the towns more importance is attached to the milch animals. The district does not produce enough milk to meet the domestic requirments.

Traditionally, milk has been brought in from Tamil Nadu to this region. Milk is also brought in from milk co-operatives of other districts of the state. The per capita consumption of milk has also gone up from 50 gms. to 180 gms. daily during the last decade. But the availability should ideally be increased to 250 per day per capita. There are 150 milk co-operative societies with about 50,000 members in Kannur district. MILMA, the State-sponsored milk cooperative has a pasteurization plant with a capacity of 10,000 litres of milk at Puzhathi and a chilling plant with a capacity of 2,000 litres of milk at Thundiyil in Peravoor block.

The Kannur dairy has a handling capacity of 10,000 liters per day. The district has six veterinary hospitals, 32 dispensaries, five polyclinics, one mobile dispensary two mobile farm-aid units and one District Veterinary Centre. A regional poultry farm at Mundayad, a goat farm at Lommeri and broiler farm at Mattannur are the other veterinary institutions in the district.

FISHERIES

Kannur district has a very important place in the fisheries map of Kerala. It has an 82 km. coastline from Kavvayi in the North to Kurichiyil in the South. Several rivers like Valapatam and Anjarakandy and their tributaries, swamps, irrigation tanks, paddy fields and household tanks offer vast potential for fisheries development in the inland sector. The inshore waters of the district have immense potential for fishing especially for the commercially important varieties such as a oil sardines (mathichala), mackerel ( ayila), prawns (chemmmen) and silver bellies (mullan). Formerly the indigenous methods which were in vogue employed only big medium and small size country crafts, nets and lines for fishing.

In the last few decades, mechanised fishing has become increasingly popular. However, the impact of mechanisation is yet to be really felt. Kavvayil, Palakkode, Azheekkal, Kannur city, Thayyil, Edakkad, Ezharakkadappuram, Palissery, Chalil, Gopalapetta and Thalasseri are some of the important fishing centers.

The government is successfully implementing many schemes with the co-operation of various agencies. The fish Farmer's Development Agency (FFDA), Brackish water fish farmers' Development Agency (BWFFDA), etc are but a few of them. The B.W.F.F.D came into existence in 1990 under the Societies Regtration Act XXI of 1860. This agency promotes prawn farming activities in two revenue districts Kannur and Kasargod. Its affairs are managed by a managing committee under the chairmanship of the District Collector.

The agency conducts macro and micro level survey of brackish water sites and prepares projects for brackish water fish farming. Proper guidance is being given to the farmers for pond-making, stocking, pond management, harvesting and marketing. The MASTYAFED ( fisherman's cooperatives) takes care of fisherman's welfare. Its district office is at Kannur. The coastal fisheries belt is divided into 11 fisheries villages and each of such village has fishermen welfare society, formed under the Kerala Fisheries Welfare Society Act of 1980.

INDUSTRIES

Kannur district has had its industrial importance from very early days. Being blessed with a variety of factors such as good soil, salubrious climate, rich forests, enormous fishing potentials, minerals as well as infrastructural facilities like road, rail, inland water trasport etc. the district offers ample scope for the development of industries. Neverthless, Kannur is an industrially backward district in the state. There are only one major and five mini industrial estates in the district. Keltron complex, Mangattuparmba and Western India Plywoods, Valappattanam are the two industries.

The Western India Plywoods is one of the biggest wood based industrial complexes in South East Asia. The district has 12 medium scale industries, most of which are either cotton, textile or plywood manufacturing. Textiles, beedi (local cigarettes) and coir are the important traditional industries in the district. About 1,00,000 people depend on the textile industry for livelihood. The textile industry which accounts for 40 per cent of all SSI units in the district, was introduced in early 19th century by the German Basil Mission. The first ready made garment unit in Kannur and the first hosiery unit Kuthuparmaba were started around the end of the 19th century. The beedi industry provides employment to about 50,000 people. Famous beedi co-operatives like Dinesh Beedi are in Kannur district. The coir industy which uses traditional technology provides employment to about 11,000 workers. There are 6934 small scale industrial units in the district.

The district has 202 sick units which is about 9.3 per cent of the sick units of the state. Only 4828 units are working ones. 162 industrial societies and four power loom societies also functions here. Kannur, Thalassery, Payyannur, Thaliparamba and Edakkad have been identified as growth centers, having potential for industrial development. The Kerala Khadi and Village Industries Board is vested with the responsibility of organising, developing and promoting khadi (rough cotton) and village industries in the district. The Khadi and Village Industries Commission also extends financial assistance for the development of Khadi and village industries.

MINERALS

China clay is found in abundance in Thaliparamba and Kannur taluks of Kannur district. The resources are not fully utilised in the district. The district is endowed with rich deposits of clay of which various types are mined at many places for potteries, tiles and ceramic industries. The most important areas where clay has been found are Pattuvam, Korom, Perumba and Karivellore. Good quality kaolin occurs below the laterite capping around Pilathara and Thaliparamba.

There are a number of tile manufacturing centres along the coastal areas. Because of the abundant availability of clay, there is a great scope for development of clay based industries in the district. Laterite is quarried for bricks throughout the district on a small scale to meet the local demand. Extensive quarrying is done in Kambil, Kalyassery and Cheruthazham areas. Thin horizons of lignite are noted in the cliff sections at Kannur coast, Pazhayangadi and Meenkunnum. Beach sands containing Ilmenites, Monazite, Zircon, Thorianite occur along the cost especially to the south of Valapattanam river mouth and near Azhikode.

Other minerals discovered recently are Sillimanite near Chandirukunnu, graphite near Payyavur, Manakadavu and minor bands of iron ore near Cherukunnu Railway Station. Many occurrences of bauxite deposits have been brought to light in the district at Madayi, Korom, Payyavur and Pattuam near Thaliparamba. They may find use in the manufacture of refractories and cement as they are not of high grade. Limeshells used for the manufacture of white cement and for industrial purposes are found in the backwaters of Eranholi river, Dharmadam puzha, Anjarakandi river around Thalassery and Dharmadam as well as Valapattanam river in the east of Azhikkal ferry.

POWER

There is no major power project in the district and the mains source of electric power is the Kuttiyadi Hydro Electric Project in Kozhikode district. Electricity has reached all panchayaths in the district.