Ramanathapuram, Aug 11: A sharp fall in palmyra sap production following inadequate rainfall has put pressure on one of southern Tamil Nadu’s traditional rural industries, pushing up the prices of palm jaggery and other palmyra products while affecting the livelihoods of workers who depend on the seasonal trade.
The impact is being felt across Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Tenkasi, where thousands of families depend on the palmyra industry for seasonal income.
Ramanathapuram, one of Tamil Nadu’s major palmyra-growing regions, remains a key centre for palm jaggery production. Villages such as Sayalgudi, Narippaiyur, Mariyur, Kannirajapuram, Melachelvanur and Malattar have long been associated with palmyra sap collection and jaggery making.
The traditional padaneer season generally begins around January and February. Workers collect the sweet sap from palmyra trees and boil it to produce karupatti, or palm jaggery. The finished product is then purchased by traders and supplied to wholesale and retail markets.
This year, however, inadequate rainfall during the previous monsoon and summer has affected moisture levels in the trees, reducing the availability of sap and consequently lowering jaggery production.
The impact is now being felt in local markets.
In Sayalgudi, palm jaggery that was selling for around Rs 350 per kg last month is now fetching up to Rs 400 per kg. With the production season nearing its end, traders expect supplies to tighten further, potentially putting additional pressure on prices.
The premium Udangudi karupatti from Thoothukudi district is commanding even higher prices. Old-stock Udangudi palm jaggery is currently selling at around Rs 600 per kg, while freshly produced jaggery is priced at about Rs 500 per kg.
Other traditional palmyra products have also become more expensive. Palm candy, or panangalkandu, is selling at around Rs 800 per kg, while sillukarupatti is fetching approximately Rs 600 per kg.
The rise in prices is largely a result of reduced production and tighter supplies. As the season comes to an end, traders expect availability to become more limited, particularly if demand increases during the coming monsoon and winter months.
For palmyra workers, the impact goes beyond higher market prices. Their earnings depend on the amount of sap they can collect during the short production season. When trees yield less sap, the effect is felt across the entire local economy, including tree climbers, processors, traders and small retailers.
The palmyra industry also supports the production of several traditional products, including palm candy and other value-added goods that continue to enjoy steady demand.
The current situation highlights how closely traditional rural livelihoods remain tied to weather conditions. For communities dependent on palmyra trees, rainfall directly affects the availability of the raw material that sustains their seasonal income.
With the current production season nearing its end, workers and traders are now looking towards the next rainfall cycle. Better rainfall and improved moisture conditions will be important for restoring sap production, increasing jaggery output and easing price pressures.
For southern Tamil Nadu’s palmyra communities, a better season would mean more than lower prices. It would mean stronger incomes, steadier work and renewed stability for a traditional industry that has supported rural families for generations.
