{"id":12525,"date":"2012-11-17T20:43:50","date_gmt":"2012-11-18T01:43:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=12525"},"modified":"2012-11-17T20:43:50","modified_gmt":"2012-11-18T01:43:50","slug":"palatable-delights-of-the-palmyrah","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=12525","title":{"rendered":"Palatable Delights of the Palmyrah"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Randima Attygalle<\/strong><\/p>\n

(Picture credit: Palmyrah Development Board)<\/p>\n

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T<\/strong>asting pinatu and sipping Palmta, whilst making a mental note of \u2018what to take home\u2019 among an exotic collection of thal petti (boxes made out of palmyrah leaves), mats, baskets and delicacies ranging from jaggery, kottei kilangu to thal wadei showcased at Katpaham was a phenomenal experience<\/p>\n

Stepping into the sales outlet of Katpaham down Galle Road- the sales outlet of the Palmyrah Development Board, you can treat yourself to the wonders of the Northern Peninsula personified in none other than Palmyrah, Panei or Thal.
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\nThe palatable delights of palmyrah will arouse nostalgia, imprinting a distinct culture in the taste buds themselves. Palmyrah synonymous with the Northern peninsula of the country is a unique species of flora, gifting the mankind with myriad seasonal products throughout the year. Revered as a kapruka or the celestial tree, no part of palmyrah goes waste. Rich in nutritional value, palmyrah fruits and nectar are a source for beverages and many other edibles whilst palmyrah leaves and fibre conceive intricate handicrafts and household goods including brooms, mats and compact packing and storing devices.<\/p>\n

Emerging from the war rubble<\/p>\n

Palmyrah is indeed a kind of magic made possible by nature\u2019s wand. Losing nearly four million palms in the destructive war of over three decades is indeed heart-wrenching. The life span of a palmyrah palm being nearly 120 years, the destruction is a national crime.<\/p>\n

“The re-cultivation of palmyrah in the regions severely affected by the war has been a top priority of the Palmyrah Development Board over the last three years and this year alone one million plants have been re-cultivated and last year 600,000 were re-planted in Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Batticaloa, Hambantota, Mannar and Puttalam,” D.G.K. Wahalathantri, Marketing Manager of the Palmyrah Development Board told the Sunday Island.<\/p>\n

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A buffer to soil erosion and resilient to drought, palmyrah grows in arid and partially arid zones with zero fertilizer, a bonus well utilized by the new re-cultivation scheme of the Palmyrah Development Board.<\/p>\n

As Wahalathantri reveals, the re-cultivation scheme has also been able to play a role in the man-elephant conflict. The \u2018bio-fence\u2019 fashioned with palmyrah fronds in vulnerable areas is an innovative substitute for the electric fences. “We have launched this scheme in collaboration with Practical Action in Vakarai and Udawalawe and we hope to expand it to several other areas threatened by elephant intrusion. Maintaining an electrical fence is costly but to maintain a palmyrah tree, it doesn\u2019t take a cent. Thus this is a very economical and a productive venture.”<\/p>\n

Extensive research<\/p>\n

The Palmyrah Research Centre housed at Kaithadi, Jaffna has emerged from the war rubbles to become a productive mechanism committed to conservation and promotion of this traditional national crop with substantial economic value. With the help of the financial aid provided by the Indian government for the revival of the Palmyrah Research Centre, several ambitious schemes have been spearheaded including expeditious reaping of harvest, a new line of food and beverages, preservation of the these products and quality control.<\/p>\n

“For a palmyrah palm to reach maturity it takes 15 to 20 years and the specialty of this species is that its varied produce is reaped at a distinct time of the year. Therefore palmyrah products depend on seasonal harvests. For instance, sap is collected from January to May for the manufacturing of jaggery and from May to October fruits are reaped for the pulp. Only fibre is available round the year. <\/p>\n

Therefore extensive research is being carried out to enable a harvest within a shorter time period,” said Wahalathantri adding that the research work also extends to new products such as palmyrah jam, cordial, vinegar, cereal and wine.<\/p>\n

Enhancing the quality of products and thereby exploiting a potential foreign market, is also a top priority in the agenda of the research work.<\/p>\n

Streamlining production<\/p>\n

With the expansion of the foreign market in Australia for palmyrah fibre and pulp, increased focus is laid on model farms. New model farms have been set up in Hambantota, Jaffna and Vavuniya to meet the growing demand for fibre and pulp. Measures have also been taken to streamline the production mechanism, teaming up with various state agencies such as the prisons network.<\/p>\n

“Various training programmes are being carried for prisoners to use their skills in fibre-related products- Weerawila and Anuradhapura prisons being some examples,” revealed Wahalathantri.<\/p>\n

Tapping of palmyrah toddy which was once a way of life in the Northern and Eastern regions is today a dying trade, with almost zero participation by the new generation. As Wahalathantri points out, in the Mannar District alone, palmyrah is abundant but with no tappers to harvest the bounty of the palm.<\/p>\n

“During the war, the traditional palmyrah industry was severely affected and craftsmen and toddy tappers became hard to find. Today the Palmyrah Development Board is taking pains to promote the industry including toddy tapping among the new generation,” he added.<\/p>\n

Launching of several Katpaham outlets in various parts of the island is a progressive measure taken by the PDB in recent times. The Board which comes under the purview of the Ministry of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development is also pledged support by several other ministries including the Ministry of Economic Development in strengthening the sales arm of the Board. Sales outlets of Katpaham were opened in Tissamaharama, Kalpitiya and Vavuniya this year and few more outlets are in the pipeline including at Kurunegala and Kelaniya.<\/p>\n

As Wahalathantri points out, the Katpaham outlet in Colombo is largely dependent on the products sent from Vavuniya, Trincomalee, Mannar, Kurunegala and Anuradhapura as these areas are still emerging as major palmyrah players in the post-war phase.<\/p>\n

“Currently there are six Katpaham centres located in Jaffna itself and products of Jaffna are confined to these sales centers as there is a concentration of resources as well as manpower in Jaffna,” he asserts adding that the booming tourism industry in the region is of immense strength to the Palmyrah industry.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also learnt that training courses have been launched in nine districts with the aim of harnessing new craftsmanship into the industry. Innovative products such as ceiling adornments made out of traditional palmyrah peduru are also much sought-after by the hotel industry today, assuring promise for the revival of this national craft. courtesy: Sunday Island<\/em><\/p>\n

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by Randima Attygalle (Picture credit: Palmyrah Development Board) Tasting pinatu and sipping Palmta, whilst making a mental note of \u2018what to take home\u2019 among an exotic collection of thal petti (boxes made out of palmyrah leaves), mats, baskets and delicacies ranging from jaggery, kottei kilangu to thal wadei showcased at Katpaham was a phenomenal experience …<\/p>\n

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