BERHAMPUR: The processing units of kewra flowers, locally known as ‘kia’, are on the verge of closure in Ganjam district due to outdated technology, dependency on businessmen from Uttar Pradesh and rising fuel cost.
The number of kewra distilleries has come down from 200 to only 50 now.
Even as around 90 per cent of kewra, an extract from the male flowers of the screw-pine tree, is grown in the district, the district administration has failed to tap its potential.
Due to lack of initiative by the administration and elected representatives to revive the industry, which has immense scope for improving the economy of the region, the units are facing a tough time to survive.
With few local industries operating in Odisha, kewra growers of the district depend on traders from Uttar Pradesh.
Restrictions on the sale of gutka and introduction of the GST also hit the kewra industry hard.
This apart, advanced technology for the distillation system is yet to be adopted by the local kewra industries.
Kewra flower is grown in large quantities in Ganjam, Chhatrapur, Chikiti and Rangeilunda blocks of the district.
The Ganjam Kewra flower is also registered under the Geographical Indications (GI) of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act.
The extract is used in making perfume, ayurvedic medicines, oil and paan masala. Thousands of people, who used to eke out a living from the operation of these units, are now struggling for their livelihood.
While the price of one kewra flower was Rs 20 to Rs 22 earlier, it came down to Rs 2 in the last couple of years. Kewra pluckers are giving up the profession as it is no longer lucrative for them, said Sanyasi Rao, a flower collector from Gopalpur.
There were over 200 kewra distilleries from where ‘rooh’ extract (oil) is sent to Uttar Pradesh for making of final products. But the number of distilleries in the district has came down to around 50, he added.
Another local Purusottam Sahu said barring a few, most of the kewra distilleries are owned by traders from Kannauj in Uttar Pradesh who used to exploit the farmers.
These distillery owners allegedly try to procure kewra at a low price from the farmers. At present, kewra flowers are being processed in traditional distilleries using outdated technology.
The kewra flowers and water are boiled for three to four hours in a large copper container which accommodates 700 to 1,000 flowers.
The steam is then transferred to another small container for preparing oil.
Previously, the district has processed around 3,500 tonnes of kewra flowers worth Rs 10 crore, he informed.