CPCRI to explore commercial potential of palmyrah ‘neera’
The Hindu
Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), Kasaragod (Kerala) will conduct research on how scientifically ‘neera’ (a sweet sap) from palmyrah can be tapped and how best value-added products such as sugar, jaggery, syrup and honey can be scientifically made from palmyrah ‘neera’, according to its Director K. Balachandra Hebbar.
Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), Kasaragod (Kerala) will conduct research on how scientifically ‘neera’ (a sweet sap) from palmyrah can be tapped and how best value-added products such as sugar, jaggery, syrup and honey can be scientifically made from palmyrah ‘neera’, according to its Director K. Balachandra Hebbar.
Speaking to The Hindu on the sidelines of a farmer-contact programme organised by the CPCRI in association with the Horticulture Department here on Friday, June 30, he said that the institute has now added palmyrah as a mandate crop for research with arecanut, coconut and cocoa and will explore its commercial potential.
CPCRI will collect its germplasm from different parts of the country and plant them on about three-acre land in its regional station at Kayamkulam in Kerala for further characterisation, he said, adding that the process of germplasm collection has been initiated by collecting between 50 to 60 germplasm now, he said.
Mr. Hebbar said that the institute has already developed a neera collection and processing technology. The CPCRI has given that technology to Telangana government under a collaboration for the production of palmyrah ‘neera’ in that State. Even Bihar Agricultural University has many palmyrah trees. “We will refine that technology in collaboration with the university for the production of palmyrah neera,” he said.
Coconut flowers (inflorescence) throughout the year. Palmyrah, fishtail and date palm flower seasonally and their flowering season varied from four months to six months. Palmyrah is mainly meant for tapping neera, he said.
It may be mentioned here that the neera collection and processing technology developed by the CPCRI is in use by farmers for tapping neera from coconut palms.
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