Tamil Nadu says cheers to 'Neera'

COIMBATORE: Coconut farming is all set to get a liberal doze of fizz in Tamil Nadu as the state government is giving final touches to rules for tapping `Neera.'

By November the government would unveil the Neera policy allowing farmers to tap the non - alcoholic, nutrient rich drink from the spadix, the conical cluster of flowers that sprout into coconuts. In all probability, Neera packed in bottles would be available in the supermarket shelves by the year end.

Farmers from Coimbatore, the coconut capital of the state are preparing to take the plunge into Neera trade as the product would open national and export market. Farmers here say they see huge potential for the product in neighboruing Kerala.

"The rules and regulations for Neera tapping will be released by November end. We plan to issue licenses to the coconut producers company across the state,'' Gagandeep Singh Bedi, agricultural production commissioner and principal secretary to government.

The government has planned to grant licenses only to Coconut Producers Company for Neera sale and not individual farmers to prevent illegal sale of toddy, the fermented form of Neera. Bedi said that the state government has also planned to invest money on its part to promote Neera based coconut products in Anaimalai near Pollachi.

Dhanapal Muthusamy, director Anaimalais Coconut Producers Company Limited said that neera tapping would not only give additional revenue for farmers but would throw open job opportunities for neera tappers. ``Roughly 10,000 tree climbers in Anaimalai and Pollachi would benefit because of neera tapping. Easily each tree climber can earn Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 every month," he said.

Neera is considered the healthiest of three drinks tapped from spadix of coconut tree. ``When you collect the sap from spadix withiin 12 hours its neera. When you let it remain for 24 hours it becomes toddy. If the sap collected in a vessel laced with lime, it is pathaneer,'' said Federation of Tamil Nadu Agriculturalists Association secretary S Nallasamy. Besides selling neera in bottles or tetra packs, the licenced agricultural producers companies can make value added products like coconut sugars, coconut honey and cookies.

``Tapping neera would not affect coconut production. Instead it would encourage more farmers to enter coconut farming,'' he said.

According to Dhanapal, there are more than 1 crore coconut trees in Pollachi taluk. ``In our producers company alone there are around 1000 members having ten lakh coconut trees. Neera tapping would give a boost to coconut farming,'' he said. Farmers say they can sell 200 ml of neera for Rs 30 to 40 approximately. Each tree would yield 2.5 litres to three litres per day.

But the flip side is that there is a shortage of tree climbers in Pollachi. "It's too difficult to climb the tall coconut trees. So, we plan to tap neera from medium height coconut trees for now," said Dhanapal.

Gagandeep Singh Bedi visited an agricultural farm located in the foot hills of Anaimalai near Pollachi on Thursday evening. The farm belongs to the farmer Dhanapal Muthusamy where Gagandeep Singh Bedi was served Neera drink.