Kangayam

Kangeyam or Kangayam is a second grade municipality in Kangeyam taluk of Tirupur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is situated on National Highway 67. Kangeyam is a commercial center in Tamil Nadu with the main commercial interests being rice hulling, coconut oil extraction, Ghee production and groundnut cultivation.The Kangayam bull, known for its superior draught strength and adaptability to poor nutritional conditions is indigenous to the area around Kangayam and is named after the town. As of 2011, the town had a population of 32,147.HistoryAn ancient beryl mine near Kangayam produced Indian beryl which was exported to Roman empire, which is the reason for numerous Roman coins found in the nearby areas.EconomyThe major business interests in Kangeyam are rice mills, coconut copra making which is used in coconut oil production, ghee production and groundnut cultivation. The region, despite being semi-arid and rain-fed, produces rice throughout the year. Rice is processed to hull it and then marketed. Paddy procured from Thanjavur and Cauvery delta regions in Tamil Nadu and from other states like Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh are also brought here for processing and there are more than 500 rice mills in Kangayam Taluk.