Farmer associations in Tiruppur divided over right to tap toddy

Two farmer associations in the region have apparently locked horns over the right of farmers to tap toddy, against the backdrop of the drastic fall in the price of coconut. The price has dropped from ₹20 to ₹8 over recent years.

The recent statement of secretary of Uzhavar Uzhaipalar Katchi Easwaran that toddy tapping will lead to escalation in the cost of coconuts, and hence, the ban should continue, has drawn criticism from the representatives of Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Padukappu Sangam and the Tamil Nadu Toddy Movement. The cost of by-products of coconut will also go up, Mr. Easwaran contended.

These organisations emphasise that their stand is buttressed by the National Food Security Act of 2013 that reinforces Article 47 of the Constitution, which recognises the citizen’s right to enhance their level of nutrition and standard of living.

Citing the slide in the procurement cost of copra and coconut, founder of Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Padukaapu Sangam Easan Murugasamy said the farmers’ right to tap toddy cannot be curtailed by the State government. The neighbouring States have not banned tapping of toddy, Mr. Murugasamy said.

Challenging the Uzhavar Uzhaipalar Katchi or the government to prove that toddy was an intoxicant, convenor of Tamil Nadu Toddy Movement S. Nallasamy said the perception that the coconut productivity will come down due to tapping of toddy was a myth.

The Constitution indeed states that the State shall undertake rules to bring about prohibition of the consumption of intoxicating drinks except for medicinal purposes. But, this question does not arise since neera was not an intoxicant, Mr. Nallasamy argued, adding that the ban on tapping toddy does not apply in the event of the farmers sourcing the beverage for own consumption to enhance nutrition, which is guaranteed by the Constitution.

The TN Toddy Movement will launch a State-wide programme by farmers for tapping toddy from coconut and palmyra trees on January 21, 2024, highlighting its medicinal properties. “The onus will be on the State Government to prove that the Prohibition Act does not contravene the right of farmers enshrined in Article 47 of the Constitution,” Mr. Nallasamy explained.