Kolhapuri: Not everything that passes as Kolhapuri jaggery is genuine.
Despite getting the Geographical Indication tag in 2014, contamination with Kolhapuri jaggery, known for its pale color and sweetness, continues to be rampant.
Ever since Kolhapuri jaggery got the GI tag, 7-8 manufacturers have applied for no-objection certificates to declare their jaggery as Kolhapuri jaggery. Most traders who buy jaggery from Kolhapur sell it as Kolhapur jaggery. Even most stalls selling Ayurvedic tea do not use authentic Kolhapuri jaggery.
KB Patil, director of Kolhapur Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), which runs the organic jaggery unit in Kolhapuri, said, “We have been working on this problem for a long time, but we are yet to find a solution.'' To sell jaggery, traders must ensure that jaggery is produced the same way it has been done for over a century. have given up on the traditional methods of making jaggery. Now many people have started making jaggery right away. “Therefore, several factories producing jaggery using natural methods have been closed down. Some factories… uses chemicals to give color and texture, and adds raw sugar to give taste.We strive to make consumers aware so they can easily tell the difference. Masu.”
AM Gurav, dean of commerce at Shivaji University in Kolhapur, has been conducting sessions to train young people to become 'guravs' for several years. “Gulabhe is the chief chemist involved in the production of jaggery. There used to be a community of Gopals who passed on the knowledge of making jaggery using traditional methods. However, there are very few gulabhe left. We are trying to train a head chemist who will be involved in jaggery manufacturing.We have set up Graves to revive the traditional jaggery making,'' said Gulab.
In traditional jaggery making, a suitable amount of juice from ripe sugarcane is selected. The juice is traditionally removed. 'Churban', who ensures that heat is supplied in an even manner to boil the juice, and 'Adsul', who removes the molasses from the juice, play an important role in jaggery manufacturing. “Grave develops unique skills to know when to stir the juice, when to test it, and to make sure the juice is being removed to fill the pot. Previously, most of the process involved thermometers, viscosity measuring devices, refractive It used to be done without equipment, but now these are being used due to a lack of human skill,” Grubb said.
Rohan Kollase from Sanri, who runs a unit that produces organic jaggery, has started using equipment and equipment to eliminate the need for grabe. “Unlike the sugar industry, the jaggery sector is unregulated. Preparing jaggery using natural methods costs 50-70% more. In the last few years, we have observed that many companies claiming to be manufacturing organic jaggery are using color. There is a lack of customer awareness. However, In my six-year journey, I realized that people are starting to get a taste of organic jaggery and know the brands they can trust,'' said Kolase.
Despite getting the Geographical Indication tag in 2014, contamination with Kolhapuri jaggery, known for its pale color and sweetness, continues to be rampant.
Ever since Kolhapuri jaggery got the GI tag, 7-8 manufacturers have applied for no-objection certificates to declare their jaggery as Kolhapuri jaggery. Most traders who buy jaggery from Kolhapur sell it as Kolhapur jaggery. Even most stalls selling Ayurvedic tea do not use authentic Kolhapuri jaggery.
KB Patil, director of Kolhapur Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), which runs the organic jaggery unit in Kolhapuri, said, “We have been working on this problem for a long time, but we are yet to find a solution.'' To sell jaggery, traders must ensure that jaggery is produced the same way it has been done for over a century. have given up on the traditional methods of making jaggery. Now many people have started making jaggery right away. “Therefore, several factories producing jaggery using natural methods have been closed down. Some factories… uses chemicals to give color and texture, and adds raw sugar to give taste.We strive to make consumers aware so they can easily tell the difference. Masu.”
AM Gurav, dean of commerce at Shivaji University in Kolhapur, has been conducting sessions to train young people to become 'guravs' for several years. “Gulabhe is the chief chemist involved in the production of jaggery. There used to be a community of Gopals who passed on the knowledge of making jaggery using traditional methods. However, there are very few gulabhe left. We are trying to train a head chemist who will be involved in jaggery manufacturing.We have set up Graves to revive the traditional jaggery making,'' said Gulab.
In traditional jaggery making, a suitable amount of juice from ripe sugarcane is selected. The juice is traditionally removed. 'Churban', who ensures that heat is supplied in an even manner to boil the juice, and 'Adsul', who removes the molasses from the juice, play an important role in jaggery manufacturing. “Grave develops unique skills to know when to stir the juice, when to test it, and to make sure the juice is being removed to fill the pot. Previously, most of the process involved thermometers, viscosity measuring devices, refractive It used to be done without equipment, but now these are being used due to a lack of human skill,” Grubb said.
Rohan Kollase from Sanri, who runs a unit that produces organic jaggery, has started using equipment and equipment to eliminate the need for grabe. “Unlike the sugar industry, the jaggery sector is unregulated. Preparing jaggery using natural methods costs 50-70% more. In the last few years, we have observed that many companies claiming to be manufacturing organic jaggery are using color. There is a lack of customer awareness. However, In my six-year journey, I realized that people are starting to get a taste of organic jaggery and know the brands they can trust,'' said Kolase.
