In a first in the state, nutrient-rich Neera drink debuts in Coimbatore

Collector TN Hariharan launched the drink packed in 200 ml bottles. A government order (GO) was passed on December 12, 2017, to tap Neera in the state. In Coimbatore, licences were issued to Anaimalais Coconut Farmers Producers Company Limited and Vinayaga Coconut Producers Company Ltd to tap Neera. There are about seven coconut-producing firms in the district. The two major coconut producing firms have drawn up plans to tap 1,000 litres of Neera each and market it. 

“In the first phase, as many as 40 farmers will be taken to the Horticulture Research Centre at Kasaragod in Kerala to undergo a five-day training programme from February 19 to tap and market Neera by using technology. The farmers will also be trained in making Neera-based value-added products like sugar, coconut honey and snacks, which have export potential. This could help the farmers double their income,” said the Collector. 

Neera is a non-alcoholic, nutrient-rich drink drawn from spadix, the conical cluster of flowers that sprout in coconuts. Coimbatore, the coconut capital of Tamil Nadu, has lush green coconut farms spread over an area of 86,800 hectares. 

Palanisamy, deputy director of agriculture (Agri Business) said individual farmers will not be allowed to tap Neera to prevent irregularities. 

“They should form a farmer’s society or associations with a membership of minimum 500 farmers to avail of permission to tap Neera,” he said. “Currently 4,000 farmers, all members of these licenced societies, would benefit by tapping Neera. Each association or society can tap Neera from a maximum of 40,000 coconut trees. Farmers should draw Neera only from 5 per cent of coconut trees in their farm to avoid shortage of coconuts in the market,” he added. 

Dhanapal Muthusamy, deputy director, Anaimalais Coconut Farmers Producers Company Limited, said the sap from the spadix of a coconut tree should be collected in specially designed vessels at a regulated temperature of four degrees Celsius. “When the temperature rises, Neera may ferment into toddy,” he said. A single coconut tree can yield upto three litres of Neera.