Kerala government gives nod for tapping 'Neera' from the palms

KOCHI: Coconut farmers in Kerala, which is the largest production region of coconuts in the country, have something to cheer as the state government has given sanction for tapping 'neera' , a non-alcoholic sweet drink from the palms. 


This will bring much-needed relief for them as they can earn up to Rs 1,500 from a palm a month with neera. They are now mostly dependent on Coconut oil and copra for their earnings. Coconut Development Board has developed technologies with the help of research institutions Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) for neera extraction. 


The government has given sanction for extracting neera to the Coconut Development Board (CDB), Kerala Agriculture University , State Beverages Corporation , coconut producers societies , coconut producers' federations, jaggery producers and Kerala Agro-Industries Corporation .