HUBBALLI: A new trend is catching up in Hospete and Shivamogga where families are replacing
welcome drinks with Neera at marriages and house-warming ceremonies. Breaking the stereotype of serving cool drinks or juice, Neera, which is nothing but palm nectar and has zero per cent alcohol, is being served at functions today.
And the response from the people is good. Two months ago, a marriage party in Hospete procured Neera from Kunigal in Tumakuru district and served about 1,500 glasses to the guests. A similar trend is now catching up in Shivamogga, Chitradurga, Bhadravathi and Hospete where families are offering Neera as a welcome drink.
Diwakar K, an engineer from Hospete, who served Neera at his son’s wedding in Hospete, said, “The guests were told at the end of the dinner about what they were served. Many were surprised as they associate Neera with alcohol. More awareness is required so that the coconut drink with health benefits becomes popular and at the same time benefits farmers.”
Manohar Maski, former MLC and chairman of Malenadu Nuts and Spices Producers Company Limited (MNSPL), Bhadravathi, said that the government had released ‘Neera Niti’ in 2016 and given licence to MNSPL to produce Neera for consumption.Manohar Maski said that the government had released ‘Neera Niti’ in 2016 and given licence to MNSPL to produce Neera for consumption.
“Serving Neera at functions is a new trend that is catching up. There have been several queries from people about the places where they can procure Neera from to serve at functions. Neera is rich in vitamins and is cost-effective. The drink is trendy and served chilled. If anybody invites me for a marriage or house-warming ceremony, I suggest to them the idea of serving Neera to the guests,” he said.
“Once obtained, Neera has to be kept in cold temperature (4 degrees) so that it is not fermented. Once large quantity of Neera is in production, more families can adopt Neera as a welcome drink at their functions. At
MNSPL once the Neera is ready it will be sold at Rs 30 for 200 ml,” he said.
Factfile
Neera is known as palm nectar and has zero per cent alcohol
The Cntral Plantation Crop Research Institute in Kasargod of Kerala has named Neera as Kalpa Rasa
Karnataka government has rolled out Neera Niti (Act) in 2016
Increase in Neera consumption will benefit coconut growers in state