Alangad jaggery, which has made a market comeback after half-a-century, is set to go places, with Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Ernakulam, planning to produce, on a pilot basis, jaggery-based jalebi and laddu, which continue to dominate the world of sweet-eaters across the country.
The KVK initiative comes close on the heels of around 1,000 kg of Alangad jaggery being sold this season under an experimental programme rolled out by the KVK in 2022. “Nearly 10 acres are under sugarcane cultivation in Alangad and neighbouring areas now, and our plan is to take the total acreage to around 50 acres,” said Jayaprakash K.B., president, Alangad Cooperative Bank, which is supporting the farmers in their new venture.
Fifty acres under sugarcane will help run the processing unit, set up with KVK support, throughout the year. The sugarcane crusher unit capacity is 500 litres per hour, said Shinoj Subramanyam, head of KVK Ernakulam. He added that the KVK supported the farmers by setting up the crusher unit and processing plant and providing utensils and a drier unit under the tribal sub plan head.
He said some jaggery-based sweets were available in the market. The demand for jaggery-based sweets can only go up considering the quality of jaggery when compared to conventional sugar used in making sweets.
Mr. Subramanyam said that initially 10 farmers came forward to cultivate on five acres. Another five acres were brought under cultivation later, and the acreage is expected to be taken to around 50 in total to make the operations viable and to meet the demand.
Alangad has been traditionally a sugarcane growing area, according to old-timers. However, the cultivation of sugarcane dwindled considerably though tell-tale signs of old days are still visible in a few homes, where remnants of old sugarcane processing units and jaggery-making implements and utensils are found.
Meanwhile, Industries Minister P. Rajeeve inaugurated the jaggery plant at Alangad on Sunday. He said Alangad jaggery would be linked to its tourism potential to make sugarcane cultivation and processing more profitable for the farmers. He added that nestled on the banks of the Periyar, the environment and conditions were suited to sugarcane cultivation, and that its advantages should be tapped to the benefit of the people.
Published - September 24, 2024 01:07 am IST
