Kithulaka Varuna:

Shot in the arm for Kithul industry

by Lalin FERNANDOPULLE

Kithul (Caryota urens) also known as fish palm or toddy palm is a popular native agri-food product consumed from ancestral times. Folk lore and legendary stories reveal that kithul jaggery and treacle had been consumed by kings.

Kithul products marketed today in varied forms as a result, value addition and brand promotion has brought more fame to the mouth savouring sweet product locally and internationally.

Kithul: A lucrative trade

Kithul Varuna, the national exhibition and trade fair on kithul held at the Janakala Kendraya, Battaramulla showcased the industry’s potential to generate revenue to the country and boost the local economy.

The three-day exhibition organised by the Ministry of Rural Industries and Self Employment Promotion attracted a large number of visitors who were curious to see how a single palm tree could generate a stable income and better living condition for the people in rural areas.

Determination and entrepreneurial skills of villagers have helped the kithul industry come a long way and carve a niche in local and foreign markets.

Secretary to the Ministry, Nihal Somaweera said that steps have been taken to promote the kithul industry from rural to commercial level under the kithul product development program.

“New technology and marketing facilities will be offered to encourage those in the industry to generate a higher income and enhance the quality of the products”, he said.

According to research it has been estimated that around Rs. 10,000 could be earned a month by tapping a kithul tree to produce treacle and jaggery.

A survey by the Agrarian Development and Department of Census and Statistics revealed that there are around six million kithul trees in the country of which 600,000 are in the stage of blooming. Around 30,000 people are engaged in the kithul industry.

Somaweera said there is a great demand for quality products and steps would be taken to ensure a stable market for kithul based products.

Registering kithul producers, providing an insurance cover, commencing pilot projects and introducing Kesper treatment to promote toddy are some of the major steps taken to develop the kithul industry.

The Ministry of Rural Industries plans to reduce the import of sugar by promoting the kithul industry. Around 500,000 mt of sugar is imported annually at a cost of Rs. 20,000 million.