June 19, 2020
KVIC is tapping palm industry to provide direct employment to the people facing joblessness.
The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) spread out an exclusive project to make ”Neera and Palmgur (Palm jaggery)” which KVIC expects has a massive potential to generate large amount of employment in the country. The project was recently launched at Dahanu in Palghar district of Maharashtra, a state having more than 50 lakh palm trees at a land spread.
KVIC said that this initiative will provide direct employment to atleast 400 local traditional trappers, while the project also aims at promoting ”Neera” as a substitute to soft drinks at the same time offering self-employment for traditional trappers and tribal people.
After giving seven days of training, the KVIC distributed tool kits for extraction of Neera and skill of making Palmgur to 200 local artisans. A single tool kit worth Rs. 15,000 comprises of food grade stainless steel kadhai (cooking woks/pans), perforated moulds, large ladles, canteen burners and other equipment like knives, rope and axes for extraction of Neera, the KVIC said.
Neera when extracted from the palm trees much before sunrise, is a nutrient-rich health drink and should be consumed in early hours of morning before it ferments. Many Indian states consume Neera as a soft drink and prepare its jaggery for market and home consumption.
However, due to lack of technically advanced processing, the commercial production and large scale marketing of Neera has not commenced yet. The project has been launched by MSME Union Minister Nitin Gadkari who is also exploring the possibility of engaging some big brands in the state to start using Neera as a soft drink to make it commercially saleable.
Further, KVIC is of the view that if systematically manufactured and marketed, a wide range of products like candies, milk chocolates, palm cola, ice-cream and traditional sweets can be made from Neera. At present Palmgur Neera worth Rs. 500 crore is traded in the country. With commercial production of Neera, this figure can soar manifolds.
The KVIC, after a survey has prepared a detailed project report on production and harnessing of Neera and Palmgur. It is proposed to start standardizing collection, processing and packing of Neera under controlled conditions so as to prevent fermentation which will not serve the purpose as a soft drink.
“On the lines of coconut water, we are working to promote Neera as a substitute to the soft drinks available in the market. Neera is organic and rich in nutrients and thus a complete health drink. With increasing the production and marketing of Neera, we are trying to establish it as a key vertical of India”s village industry,” KVIC Chairman Vinai Saxena said, while distributing tool kits to the artisans through video conference.
Saxena said the production of Neera has high potential in terms of sale as well as creation of self-employment. “Palm industry can be a major employment generator in India. It is aligned with PM Modi’s call of self-reliance and vocal for local people,” Saxena said. At the same time, Neera has high export potential as it is also consumed in countries like Sri Lanka, Africa, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Myanmar.
Many states of India has an abundance of palm fields. States like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar can make India a leading producer of Neera internationally.