For C.K. Preman, sugarcane is a passion. He has been on a mission to popularise sugarcane juice among visitors to Marayur, talking to them at length about its medicinal properties and trying in his own way to increase its shelf life.
“Sugarcane juice would turn brown or blackish if kept in the open. If there is no oxidation, it would be yellow in colour. My attempt has been to keep it free from oxidation without adding any chemical preservative so that it retains its original colour and taste and becomes more popular with the people,” says Mr. Preman.
He claims to have achieved a breakthrough in preservation of sugarcane juice in its original purity. According to M.K. Mukundan, former director, Council for Food Research and Development (CFRD), Kerala, the sugarcane juice developed by Mr Preman has been found to be free from preservatives that are added to annihilate bacteria or prevent oxidation.
“Let sugarcane juice also reach the consumers in its natural form. Compared to the juice crushed from sugarcane elsewhere, the Marayur brand of juice has a unique taste. You may get it in the unit attached to the sugarcane field in Marayur. My effort is, however, to make the juice available in packet to the consumers outside Marayur,” he says.