Palm Jaggery (Taati Bellam / Eata Bellam)

Palm jaggery (taati bellam in Telugu; karupatti in Tamil) is produced from neera/padaneer sap of the palmyra palm (Borassus flabellifer), the state tree of Tamil Nadu. India hosts ~122 million palmyra trees.

Key parameters

• Species: Borassus flabellifer (state tree of Tamil Nadu)
• India Palms: ~122 million palmyra trees
• Yield Per Palm: ~150 L neera; ~24 kg jaggery/year
• Composition: ~77% sucrose, 1.04% protein, 11 mg iron/100 g

Implementation and adoption

Yield per palm averages 150 L padaneer and ~24 kg jaggery per year. The product contains ~77% sucrose, 1.04% protein, 11 mg iron and 0.77 mg copper per 100 g - more mineral-rich than cane jaggery - and commands roughly twice the price of refined sugar in TN, AP and Karnataka markets.

References

1. Jaggery from Palmyrah palm - status and scope. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/289677983
2. Optimization of Palmyrah Palm Jaggery Production - ISAE. https://pub.isae.in/index.php/jae/article/view/350