Wayanad, Kerala's 12th district, ranks first in the state in pepper and coffee cultivation

Background

Wayanad was formed as Kerala's 12th district on 1 November 1980, carved out of parts of Kozhikode and Kannur districts. It comprises three taluks - Mananthavady, Sulthan Bathery and Vythiri - with Kalpetta as the district headquarters. The district lies on a plateau within the Western Ghats, at elevations between 700 and 2,100 metres above mean sea level, bordering Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Wayanad ranks first among Kerala's districts in both pepper cultivation and coffee plantation, and its cash crops - pepper, cardamom, coffee, tea and other spices - make agriculture the principal occupation of its people. The district has no railway line. The name Wayanad is derived from 'Vayal Nadu', meaning the land of paddy fields, and the district is described as having a mainly tribal-oriented culture.