KOCHI: It has been 40 years since the iconic Alangad jaggery disappeared from the shelves. However, a change to this situation is around the corner. The first batch of Alangad jaggery, which has been named after the place Alangad in Ernakulam, will arrive in the market by the end of January 2024. The famous jaggery is being revived as part of the ‘Krishikkoppam Kalamassery’ initiative, under which many of the traditional crops which used to be cultivated in the area are being brought back.
“The sugarcane crops are ready for harvest,” said P M Manaf, president of Alangad panchayat. According to him, the ‘Krishikkoppam Kalamassery’ initiative is the pet project of local legislature and Industries Minister P Rajeeve. “Since we are in the starting phase of the initiative, the crop is being cultivated on six acres of land at Neerikode, Kongorpilly and Thiruvallur in Alangad panchayat. All the support for the cultivation is being provided by the Ernakulam Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Alangad Cooperative Bank, Alangad grama panchayat, Krishi Bhavan, agriculture department, Atma and Alangad block panchayat,” he said.
The know-how for the sugarcane cultivation and the cuttings for the sowing was provided by the Krishi Bhavan and KVK, he said. “A lot of farmers are showing interest in sugarcane cultivation. So, in the next cycle of cultivation, the acreage might go up to 10 to 15 acres,” said Manaf. Talking about the fame that Alangad jaggery enjoyed in the past, Prasad T U, who is growing sugarcane on 50 cents of land, said, “During my childhood, sugarcane was used to be widely cultivated in the area.
We used to have jaggery-making sheds and the product had patrons in far-off places.” “If you look at some of the texts associated with Kerala’s trading history, you will find the mention of Alangad jaggery. It is said that the jaggery was even exported to China in the distant past. However, all that became mere memories over a period of time.
Many factors contributed to the slow demise of the once-famed product,” said Prasad. According to him, Alanagd Jaggery became a sought-after product due to its unique taste. “It is said that salt was not used during its processing. Also, the soil composition of the fields gives it a distinct flavour,” he added.
Prasad said, “All the machinery and equipment needed to make jaggery has already been brought in by the KVK. A building is being constructed by the Alangad Cooperative Bank to house the jaggery-making unit. The work on the building is being carried out on a war footing to begin the production by the end of next month.”