HASSAN: Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) president Kodihalli Chandrashekar has urged the Government to amend the Excise Act to facilitate coconut growers to market neera. It has also asked the Government to form a palm products development board on the lines of a similar body in existence in Tamil Nadu.

Addressing presspersons here on Thursday, he said "khajuri juice," which was known as neera, was not an intoxicant but had many medicinal qualities. Neera, a sweet unfermented drink tapped from coconut, date, palmyra of sago palms, had been a popular beverage in some parts of the country for centuries.

He said coconut growers, who were affected by the mite infestation, had started extracting neera as an alternative to improve their income. But confusing it with toddy, which was decidedly intoxicating, the Government had asked growers to stop extracting neera. However, after a protracted agitation by the KRRS, the Government permitted farmers to extract the drink, he said.

He said the growers had learnt that they could produce sugar and jaggery from neera. Now, they were planning to market "Neeraprash," a soft drink, which had medicinal qualities. Jayanna, a coconut grower in Arsikere taluk, had set up an unit to manufacture "Neeraprash" at Arapanahalli, with an investment of Rs. 3 lakh, he said.

Mr. Chandrashekar said the setting up of the palm products development board would help farmers in marketing the drink.

Mr. Chandrashekar said the Government had not kept its promise to earmark Rs. 5 crore to promote neera. Urging the Government to exclude coconut from the Excise Act, he said the Chief Minister should convene a meeting of all the departments concerned and take a decision to promote neera.

The KRRS would launch a campaign to market the drink is the Government failed to do so, he said.

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