ARTICLES ON NEERA

Project Profile for Neera Production

Neera Home

About Neera Video Films on Neera

Healthy Ways Newsletter Vol 10-3

MB.com 17-7-14

Naturalnew.com 20-11-13

Indian Coconut Journal (English)
Neera Special Issue
May 2013

Indian Nalikera Journal (Malayalam)
Neera Special Issue
May 2013

Indian Coconut Journal May 09

Cocoinfo Vol-14 Jan-07

Indian Coconut Journal Nov 04

Nutritional Outlook,com 12-6-15

Plant Hortitech Mar-14

NufFood Spectrum May-15

newsmax-health 25-5-15

The Hindu 14-5-15

DowntoEarth.org.in Apr-15

The Hindu 23-1-15

Deccan Herald 30-8-14

The Hindu 2-9-14

The Hindu 3-9-14

Deccan Herald 30-3-15

New Indian Express 27-7-14

Mathrubhumi 4-9-15

Coconut Neera production and processing in Karnataka - Indian Coconut Journal Jan 2013

Unite, Think big and Win big - Indian Coconut Journal Jan 2013

Production of Neera and its Value addition - Indian Coconut Journal May 2009

Production of Natural and Nutritious Sugar, Honey, Juice and Vinegar from Coconut Sap - Indian Coconut Journal January 2007

Bio Beverage - Coco Neera - Indian Coconut Journal November 2004

Tamil Articles

Malayalam Articles

About Neera in Malayalam

Article on Neera in Malayalam

Indian Nalikera Journal (Malayalam)
Neera Special Issue
May 2013

Kerala Karshakan - June-13

Indian Nalikera Journal May-2013

Insurance Master Aug-13

Krishikkaran Aug-13

Kalaveekshanam - June-13

Karshakan May-2013

Kerala Karshakan May-13

Mathrubhumi 30-4-13

Mathrubhumi 6-4-13

Harithabhumi Apr-13

Kerala Karshakan Mar-13

Karshakasree Feb-13

India Today 27-2-13

Karshakasree Dec-12

Business Deepika - Oct-Nov 12

Mathrubhumi 17-10-12

Mathrubhumi 5-5-14

Karshakan March-14

Business Deepika Apr-14

Green Leaf - March-14

Janmabhumi 22-4-14

Karshakasree Apr-14

Dhanam - March-14

Business Deepika Apr-14

Saphalyam-Sept-14

Yoganadam July-14

Business Deepika Aug-14

Indian Nalikera Journal Sept-2013

Deepika 3-12-2014

Deepika 4-12-2014

Manorama Aarogyam Apr-15

Mathrubhumi 4-9-15

Malayala Manorama-15-12-15

Neerayum Vivadangalum - Harithasena, Kozhikode

Neera Enthe? Enthine? - K.Govindan Nair

Aikya Janathipathya Munnaniyude Prakadana Patrikayil Neera

Neera - Uthbhavam - V. Mithranneera-ulbhavam-v-mithran.pdf

Neera Discussion held at Tvm on 20-3-13

Presentations - Symposium on Possibilities of Neera held on 27th April 2013 at Ernakulam

(1) Coconut Inflorescence Sap Products - Neera (Keramithram), Palm Jaggery (Kerachakkara)
- by Dr.V.K. Raju, Kerala Agri. University

(2) Neera and its Products in International Trade - by Smt.S.Deepthi Nair, Marketing Officer

(3) Collectives of farmers – Coconut Producer Societies (CPS), Federation of CPSs(CPFs), Producer Companies(PCs) - by Shri.K.S.Sebastian, Asst. Marketing Officer, CDB

Neera Posters (click to enlarge)

Photos

Neera products

Neera in packets produced by Karnataka Govt.

Organic Coconut Palm Sugar

Coconut palm sugar

Neera (Coconut Flower Sap)

Neera, the non-alcoholic and nutritious drink from the immature inflorescence of coconut can be promoted due to its potential for value addition, employment generation and better returns to the coconut farmers. The vascular sap collected from immature unopened coconut inflorescence is popularly known as “Neera” in fresh form. It is a sugar containing juice, a delicious health drink and a rich source of sugars, minerals and vitamins. It is sweet and oyster white in colour and translucent. It is tapped from the coconut inflorescence filtered, pasteurized, and bio preservatives added to preserve the product. Treated Neera can be preserved in cans upto 2 months at room temperature.

Neera bottled by Kerala Agricultural University

Uses of Neera

Neera is popular as a delicious health drink. It is good for digestion, facilitates clear urination and prevents jaundice. The nutrient-rich "sap" has low Glycemic Index (GI of only 35) and hence diabetic-friendly since very low amounts of the sugar is absorbed into the blood. It is an abundant source of minerals, 17 amino acids, vitamin C, broad-spectrum B vitamins, and has a nearly neutral pH. Diversified Value Added Products like coconut flower syrup, jaggery and coconut palm sugar are produced from Neera.

Composition of Neera

Total solids (g/100ml)	15.2 - 19.7
pH	3.9 - 4.7
Specific gravity	1.058 - 1.077
Total sugars (g/100ml)	14.40
Original reducing sugars (g/100ml)	5.58
Total reducing sugars (g/100ml)	9.85
Total ash (g/100ml)	0.11 - 0.41
Citric acid (g/100ml)	0.50
Alpohol in %	nil
Iron (g/100ml)	0.15
Phosphorus (g/100ml)	7.59
Ascorbic acid (mg/100ml)	16.30
Total protein (g/100ml)	0.23 - 0.32

Coconut Flower Syrup

This is a product similar to coconut palm jaggery with high content of minerals. It is a rich source of potassium. It has good content of sodium and is free from total fats and cholesterol. It is produced when fresh Neera is heated and concentrated into a syrup.

Uses of coconut syrup

The product can be used for healthy food preparations, as topping on wide variety of appetizer, dessert or beverage, for delicious serving and for a healthy lifestyle. It is also used as a health drink in connection with Ayurveda and other systems of medicine.

Coconut Palm Jaggery

The strained unfermented coconut sap is boiled, crystallized and transferred into suitable moulds to prepare jaggery. The semisolid jaggery solidifies gradually by the cooling effect of the atmosphere into a crystallized hard substance. The recovery of jaggery from syrup is 15%. It is used as a sweetening agent for the preparation of dishes and is superior to cane jaggery.

Nutritional composition of coconut palm jaggery (in 100g)

Component	Qty in mg
Thiamine	21.00
Riboflavin	432.00
Nicotinic acid	5.24
Ascorbic acid	11.00

Coconut Palm Sugar

The coconut palm syrup or jaggery can be crystallized to produce fine granules of sugar. Transition of coconut jaggery into a ground granule sweetener is more accepted by global markets. The recovery of palm sugar from coconut palm jaggery is 15%. The application of this sugar is tremendous and offers huge potential owing to its most important health attributes, the low Glycemic index and the high nutrient content. It can be the most suited alternative sweetner, especially when agave sugar is being rejected owing to the high fructose content. This alternative sugar industry is estimated to be a $1.3 billion industry and hence the market prospects are enormous. It is understood that in producing countries like Indonesia, around 50,000 MT of coconut sugar is produced per month and 6 lakh MT produced per year. The product has good local market in Indonesia.

Nutritional composition of coconut palm sugar (in 100g)

Component	Qty in mg
Moisture	0.06%
Protein	432 mg
Minerals	5.24 mg
Carbohydrate	11.0 mg
Calcium	18.9 mg
Phosphorous	1.9 mg
Iron	5.2 mg

Economics of production of Neera* and value added products from Neera

Assumptions
Number of palms per hectare	175
Total number of palms tapped in a hectare	limited to 80
Number of inflorescence tapped per tree per annum	3
Average productivity per ha in Kerala	7365 nuts/year
Approximate cost of one litre of Neera	Rs.50
Conversion ratio from Neera to jaggery	6:1
Approximate cost of one kg of coconut palm jaggery	Rs.250

*Commercialization of Neera is possible only after amendment of Abkari Act.

Estimated returns from Neera

Item	Yield of Neera
Yield of Neera in Litres	@1 litre/ tree/day	@2 litre/ tree/day	@3 litre/ tree/day
Yield of Neera from 80 palm tapped for 3 months	7200 litres	14400 litres	21600 litres
Returns from Neera @ Rs.50 per litre	3.6 lakhs	7.2 lakhs	10.8 lakhs
Returns per palm	Rs.4500	Rs.9000	Rs.13500
Returns to farmer in the proportion of 75% of production	2.7 lakhs	5.4 lakhs	8.1 lakhs
Returns to tapper in the proportion of 25% of production	0.9 lakhs	1.8 lakhs	2.7 lakhs

Estimated returns from coconut palm jaggery

Item	Production of Neera at
Item	@1 litre/ tree/day	@2 litre/ tree/day	@3 litre/ tree/day
Yield of jaggery in kg	1200kg	2400kg	3600kg
Returns from jaggery @ Rs.250 per kg	3.0 lakhs	6.0 lakhs	9.0 lakhs

Tapping of 25% of inflorescences (3 inflorescence) in a palm for production of Neera will yield additional income to the farmer and to the tapper, without much reduction in yield. The Coconut farmer communities in the Federations of CPS can work out a viable proportion of production of Neera and jaggery so that the products can cater to defined segments of the society. Neera being a sweet and nutritious health drink can be promoted among all sections of the society. Coconut palm jaggery owing to their low Glycemic Index can be positioned as a safe and healthy alternative sweetener. If we convert jaggery further to coconut palm sugar, value addition is still better.

Health Benefits of Coconut sugar (Jaggery)

CONCERNED about their health and wellness, most people are on the lookout for natural food products. One product that is catching much attention nowadays is the coconut sap sugar or coco sugar. This product proves to deserve all the attention for a very good reason. Coco sugar, which is derived from coconut, has been found to be suitable alternative sweetener for diabetics and non-diabetics due to its low glycemic index (GI). GI refers to a numerical scale or ranking system of measuring the rate of blood glucose generation by a particular food item as compared to a reference item, such as glucose = 100. GI ranks food on how they affect the person’s blood glucose levels. This index measures how much one’s blood glucose increases in two to three hours after eating. Intake of food with low GI level will not result in or trigger a sudden increase in blood glucose level of an individual. With a GI of 35, based on the result of a study made by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Philippines, coco sugar is classified as low GI food. Coco sugar is a rich source of potassium, magnesium, iron, and zinc. It also contains vitamins B1, B3, and B6. Chemically characterized as an “invert sugar,” it is a potential sweetener for the fast-growing pharmaceutical and food industries. Coco sugar can be an excellent substitute for honey and sweetener for infant food preparations. Coco sugar is already accepted in the market and is priced relatively higher than ordinary sugar commercially available owing to its health benefits. The demand for the product has been increasing steadily and is expected to increase further with the rising wellness- and nutrition-conscious populace. Coco sugar is derived from freshly-harvested coconut sap or toddy (locally known as ‘Neera’), an oyster-white liquid dripping from the unopened inflorescence after appropriate incisions on it have been made. The sap is collected every five hours to prevent fermentation. When enough sap has been collected, it is transferred into big wok and placed over moderate heat to evaporate the water and concentrate the sugar into syrup and finally into crystals and granules. The process is simple and can be done in various scales—small, medium, and large, depending on the available capital. The production of coco sugar entails natural process and requires simple processing technology. (Health Benefits - Source:sunstar.com.ph)

Coconut Producers' Society

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