Palm Sap Shortage Threatens Livelihoods of Thousands in Tamil Nadu

Thousands of labourers across Ramanathapuram, Thuthukudi, Tirunelveli and Tenkasi districts depend on the annual palm‑sap season for their earnings. The season, which begins each January, involves tapping toddy palms to collect the sweet "padniir" that is later boiled into jaggery and related sweets. This year, an El Niño induced drought has left the palms dry, drastically reducing sap output. Workers from Sayalkudi, Narippaiyur, Mariyur, Kanneerajapuram, Melachelvanoor and Mallattur say that the sap flow is insufficient to meet traditional production levels. The shortfall has pushed the price of fresh jaggery up to ₹400 per kilogram, up from ₹350 a month earlier. Premium Udangudi jaggery, which usually sells for higher rates, now sees old stock at ₹600 per kilogram and fresh stock at ₹500. The scarcity has also driven up the cost of palm misri to about ₹800 per kilogram and "sillukuruppatti" to ₹600 per kilogram, putting additional pressure on both producers and consumers.