Toddy-tapping profession on verge of extinction in Andhra Pradesh

Vijayawada: The occupation of toddy tapping is fast vanishing in Andhra Pradesh. With drastic fall in the number of palm trees and no support from the government, the toddy tappers are shifting to another profession. The new generation is also not interested in climbing the trees and are opting for white collar or blue-collar jobs.

While neighbouring southern states like Telangana and Tamil Nadu have come with Neera Cafes, no such schemes have been introduced here. The only main activity that still exists in some parts of Andhra Pradesh is making black jaggery using toddy which gets some subsidy.

The toddy tappers community is mostly looked upon as a vote bank by most of the political parties. The communities that were till recently engaged in toddy tapping are Gowda, Setti Balija,Yatha, Ediga and Srisayana spread over from Anantapur to Srikakulam districts.

Pamarthi Venkateswara Rao, a toddy tapper from Reddypalem village of Gudivada constituency, told The Hans India that it was very hard to earn Rs 300 a day. Y Nageswara Rao, a toddy tapper of Pedana of Krishna district, said that in his village there were around 50 toddy tappers, but now he was the only person who was still practising his caste-based occupation. During the previous TDP government, he said he had applied for loan from the corporation along with 10 others to set up Neera making centre, but soon the government changed, and their applications were not considered. With no option available, he had started working as a daily wage labourer.

When contacted, Maadhu Siva Rama Krishna Goud, chairman of AP State Gowda Corporation, said that the government introduced a new toddy policy for 2022-2027 to help the toddy tappers and their families.

He said that Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy doubled the compensation for the kin of toddy tappers to Rs 10 lakh from Rs 5 lakh, in cases of accidental deaths while tapping. He further informed that, they proposed to the government to bring Neera policy in the state.

However, the toddy tappers ask what was the point in increasing compensation when the occupation is now almost extinct. Instead, the government should have taken up some skill development programmes for them.