Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Nov 11: Toddy tapping from palm trees is in its lowest ebb in Karnataka. It happens to be one of the most traditional and original professions of coastal Karnataka.

Now, toddy production has fallen by 95 percent. In the meanwhile, there has been a huge demand for tappers from Kerala who extract toddy from coconut trees.

The profession of extracting toddy from palm trees in the coastal belt has a history dating back by over 500 years. In the past, toddy used to be produced in every village of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. Most of the production happens between November and May, and during the season, the twin districts used to collect over a lac litres of toddy per day. Toddy Tappers Federation vice president, Shivappa Suvarna Pakkalapade admits that now not even 5,000 litres of toddy are being manufactured.

Representational image

There has been increased demand for the toddy from palm trees in the coastal belt. The youngsters of today are more swayed by the palm toddy. The weeknd demand has multiplied by four to five times but the production is woefully short. Good quality toddy is sold for Rs 100 per litre but this is not available most of the time, the toddy sellers admit.

As there has been a severe shortfall in palm toddy there is more demand for coconut toddy. The tappers from Kerala are deemed to be more skilled in extracting toddy from coconut trees and hence there is high demand for them. They get money on the basis of commission on the basis of litres of toddy tapped. Shivappa says that in coastal Karnataka, the people are not showing interest to learn this art, and the Kerala tappers too are not enthusiastic to teach their skills.

Toddy tapping is an adventurous profession that needs hard work. People involved in it have to climb palm trees thrice a day. Even though it is an adventurous job, if the tappers fall from the trees and die, the government does not provide any grants to their families. Therefore, other members of the families of the toddy tappers do not show interest in doing this job. The state government spent crores of rupees at Thumbe, Dakshina Kannada district, where it started a Neera unit but due to the official apathy, it is gathering dust now.

There are no training schools to learn the art of tapping. It has to be taught on one to one basis. The seniors who were tapping toddy have stopped the work and the new generation is not showing interest. As there is no system of training, this profession will soon slip into oblivion. Unless the government opens training centres to teach this job and encourages it, in a few years, this profession, one of the most ancient ones in coastal Karnataka, will vanish, people opine.