Coconut farmers in the district keenly anticipate a positive response from the government to their plea to tap ‘neera’, which is considered a health drink on account of its high nutritive and medicinal value by neighbouring States of Kerala and Karnataka.
According to farmers, Kerala granted licences to coconut producers' societies and federations to tap neera in specified quantities last year. The neera is subsequently processed and marketed.
Emulating Kerala, the Karnataka Government decided earlier this year to amend laws to facilitate coconut farmers to tap neera.
Though neera tapping would help farmers to scale up revenue, Tamil Nadu Government’s hesitation stems from the apprehension that neera could easily be fermented and turned into toddy with about four per cent alcohol in a matter of hours, official sources said.
Farmers in the district, however, lamented that the fear of losing revenue from IMFL sale is the main reason for Tamil Nadu’s lack of enthusiasm.
Representatives of farmers’ organisations have been insisting that neera being a health drink, the State Government must permit tapping from coconut and palm trees. The State Government had during 2010 announced that neera would be procured from the members of Palm Workers' Welfare Board for Rs. 10 per litre, and that Rs. one crore would be provided to the Board for installing chilling facilities to store the procured neera. But, there has been no progress.
