CHENNAI: You know summer is here when you see people along the roadside holding out aluminium vessels and and a plastic bag in their hands, selling a jelly-like fruit. These fruits, commonly known as Nongu or Ice apple are a source of livelihood for many people from villages like Cheiyaar, Upudisaakam, Maambakam and more.
Annamala, (30) from Maambakam is new to this business. “I chose to come here because in our villages we have to carry this on our head and move around. We don’t even know if it will be sold there, but here sales are better,” he shares.
For the last four years, Annamala has been having good sales, but this year he is not happy! “I am more into farming, only for these one-and-a-half months I do this, because we get this fruit only once a year. This year, it has been disappointing,” he adds, stating that he recently ‘inherited’ the business from his father.
Paneerselvam, who has been doing this for 15 years, says it’s ironic that this time the heat is more but the business is dull. “When we buy it in our villages, it costs `35 per dozen, here we just add about `5 or `10 extra and sell it. What discourages us is many people do not prefer
nongu only because it comes from a village,” he rues. He states that the only benefit they get by coming here is the profit of `200 when compared to the sales in their village.
Surendran (16) from a village beyond Cheyaar, looks at this as a visit to the city during summer vacation. For three years, he has accompanied his father and brother to sell. “Some days we have good sales while on other days we just dump it all in the garbage and head home. I decided to give it away to people free at the end of the day, but people prefer not to buy that at all.”
With each dozen being sold at `50 (wholesale price) at 6 am, all vendors from different villages gather at a point with all the fruits. Boarding a mini-van, they reach the city by 10 am and spend the rest of the day by the roadside to sell their fruits. Mahendran, who comes from a progressive family, is newly married and states that people here do realise that there are many health benefits to nongu. “Back in our villages, people just climb trees and eat. The actual demand is here,” he shares as he negotiates with a customer.
DOCTORS SAY
Nongu has its own benefits. It prevents chicken pox, improves digestion, keeps the body cool, prevents constipation in pregnant women, and more. “The fruit has a neutralising effect and is good for acidity, it should not be consumed after storing it forlong in the fridge. Today, I don’t think people are aware of these benefits and prefer cool drinks. Also the juice from the fruit (Padhani) has anti-cancer properties too,” explains Dr B Ramesh Babu, diabetologist.
Dr Sheetal Mathai, Mangalore,l says that one may assume that its low sugar and good fibre content is good to control diabetes. “I would personally recommend one to consume the fruit because of its health benefits, it is rich in vitamins A,B and C, iron, zinc, phosphorous, and potassium. The fruit is also good for hydration, helps to relieve constipation and pimples,” she adds.