Farmers' Groups Demand Tamil Nadu Government Lift Ban on Toddy Tapping

Farmers' associations across Tamil Nadu have called upon the State government to lift the long-standing ban on toddy tapping, asserting that the natural beverage serves as a health drink and would provide vital livelihood support to thousands of workers.

C. Nallasamy, coordinator of the Tamil Nadu Toddy Movement, appealed directly to Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay and his administration to revoke the restriction. He stated that allowing toddy tapping would create employment, assist rural families, and open avenues for exporting the product.

According to farmers' representatives, the policy change would bring immediate relief to thousands of toddy tappers who rely on the trade. Palmyrah trees, which help anchor groundwater and are commonly planted along farmlands and ponds, are predominantly found in districts such as Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Ramanathapuram, and Kanniyakumari. Mr. Nallasamy pointed out that no other state in India has outlawed toddy tapping.

The Tamil Nadu Toddy Movement has pursued the issue with successive administrations and chief ministers for over 35 years without success. Mr. Nallasamy recalled an earlier occasion when a former chief minister promised to revoke the prohibition and invited farmers to a conference, yet concluded the event without an official announcement.

Backing the demand, E. Devarajulu, Chennai zone coordinator of the Tamizhaga Vivasayigal Paadhugappu Sangam, suggested that the State government could sell toddy directly through state-run outlets, similar to its distribution of Indian Made Foreign Liquor through Tasmac shops, thereby generating revenue. He noted that toddy contains low alcohol content alongside substantial vitamin levels.

Mr. Devarajulu added that the judiciary has also raised queries regarding the prohibition, pointing to a recent observation by the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, which asked whether the State government could devise a regulatory framework covering the tapping, production, and sale of toddy.