Sun Jan 19 14:07:12 UTC 2025: ## West Bengal’s Date Palm Jaggery Makers Face Uncertain Future
**Kolkata, West Bengal –** The makers of West Bengal’s famed *nolen gur* (date palm jaggery), a key ingredient in Bengali winter sweets, are facing an uncertain future due to a confluence of factors including urbanization, climate change, and compromised quality driven by increased demand.
For generations, families like that of Maniruddin Banshi have migrated annually to the Sundarbans region to harvest the sap, a laborious process involving climbing trees and boiling the sap for hours. However, Banshi, 59, fears he may be the last of his kind, as younger generations are unwilling to endure the hardships of this traditional craft. Similar struggles are faced by sap collectors in other regions, like Gulam Mustafa Khan in Jhargram district, who despite wanting his sons to continue the tradition, worries about the dangerous working conditions and lack of alternative employment.
The increasing popularity of *nolen gur*, fueled by endorsements from celebrities, has led to a surge in demand. This has resulted in producers compromising quality, with the addition of sugar and unsustainable harvesting practices that deplete the date palm trees. The result is a decline in the quality of *nolen gur*, impacting both the traditional sweets made with it and the livelihoods of the harvesters. Even the iconic Jaynagar moa, a sweet with a Geographical Indication tag, is suffering from this decline in quality.
Experts highlight the need for collective action to support the *shiulis* (sap collectors). This includes addressing sustainability issues through better harvesting practices and reforestation efforts, conducting research on the impacts of climate change, and combating adulteration. Without such intervention, the traditional art of *nolen gur* production and a vital part of Bengali cultural heritage risk disappearing.
First Piper 