Stubby palm trees to make their mark

Sircilla/Warangal: The high yielding stubby palm trees, Girika thati chetlu in local parlance, will soon be an income-generating source to Gouda community. Although the plantation of stubby palm trees is being encouraged by the government through Haritha Haram, this is the first time that a district administration has come forward to promote it as a pilot project in a mission mode.

The stubby palm trees spread in Pakala forest area under Warangal Rural district, which produce no fewer 50 liters a day during the season, have been famous for its taste and medicinal values with toddy lovers across the region flocking to consume. The earnings accrued through the trade are being shared by the members of the local Gouda community.

These trees short in height, around 20 feet, are easy to tap the toddy. It may be mentioned here that the height of the palm trees other than Giraka thati variety which we find all across the State is around 40 feet. This variety trees start to yield in seven years. Against this backdrop, the stubby palm trees are already being supplied to people under Haritha Haram programme.

Speaking to The Hans India, Rajanna-Sircilla District Collector Krishna Bhaskar said: “The initiative is the brainchild of the MA&UD Minister KT Rama Rao, who also represents Sircilla. With KTR’s MLA Local Area Development funds, we have distributed 1,300 stubby palm trees worth around Rs 2.62 lakh to Gouda community.”

The plan is to provide long-term sustenance. These high yielding palm trees which produce toddy six months in a year is a lucrative scheme for the toddy-tappers, he added. The saplings aged between one-and-a-half year and three years have been procured from Kadiam nurseries near Rajahmundry for the pilot project.

The initiative not only helps the toddy-tappers develop economically but also controls adulterated toddy trade, the district prohibition and excise officer A Srinivasulu Naidu said. He said that plans are afoot to procure another 11,000 saplings to take up the plantation in 70 acres spread across 16 villages in the district.

A Ramesh, a member of Goud Sangham of Peddur village under Sircilla mandal who received a sapling said: “The trees currently we tap toddy from are just giving around 5 liters a day. The stubby variety would be a boon for us to develop economically.”

In Jangaon district, MLA Errabelli Dayakar Rao donated around 15,000 stubby palm trees to Gouda Sangham in his Palakurthy constituency for their economic development.

By Adepu Mahender