TENKASI: Omicron has failed to affect the thavun (edible portion of buried palmyra palm seed) season in the southern districts, as roadside vendors are busy selling it to the public as usual. A farmer-turned-roadside vendor from Alangulam, M Selvam, said the thavun season lasts nearly three months, and it takes about 40 days for the nungu to become the palmyra palm fruit.
“After burying the fruit, we wait about 50-70 days to unearth quality thavuns,” said M Selvam, adding that he was one of the vendors who sold thavun to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi last February when he visited the district for the election campaign.
The roadside vendors of the district mainly sell thavun in Alangulam, Mahilva- nnathapuram and Ramachandrapattinam. Another vendor in Nallur Vilakku, S Rajendran said due to the spread of Covid-19, the number of people visiting Courtallam and other tourist spots has reduced. “This affected the sale of thavun in the town and village areas. Hence, vendors and some farmers have been forced to bring thavun to distant crowded cities, such as Tirunelveli, for sales,” he said.
A vendor in Tirunelveli, R Chandran, said he would be able to take home Rs 400-600 after spending for fuel and two meals daily if he sells the thavun in Tirunelveli town area from 10 am to 4 pm. He added that the thavun that are taken out of the palm seed would get wasted if they are not sold in a couple of hours.
The vendors sell about 15 thavuns wrapped in palm leaves for Rs 50.
A Chelladurai, of Nallur, a regular customer of Selvam, said he buys at least two parcels of thavuns daily from him. “The palm leaves which are used to wrap the thavuns give a pleasant smell to the food. I avoid bargaining when I purchase thavun as I know how much effort farmers and vendors put in to serve me this traditional food,” he said.
Appreciating Director General of Police C Sylendra Babu’s recent order urging police officials not to harass traders of palm products, Chandran also demanded that the State government organise special camps to register palm tree workers under the Welfare Board of the Labour department. However, the officials said such workers could register themselves with the Tamil Nadu Palm Tree Workers Welfare Board online without visiting the office or camps.