Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Mar 16: Kalparasa and its by-products, touted to be very much beneficial to health, are on the way. 'Udupi Kalparasa Thengu Mattu Sarva Sambar Utpakara Company (Ukasa) is preparing to bring out these products under the guidance of the district Bharatiya Kisan Sangha.

These products were invented by the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute. Kalparasa is a drink that tastes like sugarcane juice. It comes fortified with iron, vitamins and other nutrients. It can be consumed even by diabetics. Researches have found it to be better than millet.

In the first phase, members of 54 coconut producers cooperative societies in the district are being provided with an opportunity to manufacture this drink. A thousand farmers have been made shareholders. In principle licence from the excise department has been obtained for processing and sale of the products and by-products of Kalparasa.

This is another avenue to improve the income of coconut growers. Each tree yields between 1.5 to 2.5 litres of Kalparasa every day and it can be extracted all 365 days of the year. Each farmer can use eight trees from which annual profit can be around one lac rupees. Kalparasa price will be Rs 30 per 200 ml just like tender coconut. Initially, the drink will be served like sugarcane juice but there are future plans to release tetra packs of the drink.

This drink is good for the eyes and skin, has the power to cure intestine and bladder-related ailments, improves digestion, addresses the problem of constipation, and is a rich source of vitamins A, B and C.