Coconut sugar, a healthier alternative to refined sugar, is made from the sap of coconut palm trees. The farmers harvest the sap of coconut palm trees under the tropical sun may seem fascinating. The reality is that they also face some set of challenges in growing the coconut palm trees. Let’s explore the various challenges that the farmers face as they navigate the sweet path of producing this natural sweetener, coconut sugar.
1. Climbing Tall Coconut Palm Trees
One of the crucial things that the farmers do is climbing the tall coconut palm trees to collect the sap. Reaching the sap of these trees, which can grow to heights of 15-17 m height, demands not just physical strength but also agility and skill. Farmers frequently employ conventional ways to scale trees, such as connecting a rope to their feet or using improvised ladders, making this a dangerous task.
2. Sap Collection Timing
In sap collection, timing is essential. Farmers have to go out every day, usually first thing in the morning, to gather the sap before it ferments or draws bugs. Since the timing might change depending on a number of circumstances, including the weather, this takes commitment and a thorough understanding of the trees and their sap-producing cycles.
3. Weather Challenges
Production of coconut sugar is significantly influenced by the weather. Excessive rain can dilute sap and lower its sugar content, and protracted droughts can completely stop sap flow. Both possibilities may directly affect a farmer’s income and the volume of coconut sugar produced.
4. Infestations of pests
Coconut palm plants are vulnerable to pests such as rodents and beetles, which can cause tree damage and diminish sap yield. To safeguard their trees and increase sap production, farmers must use insect control strategies.
5. A time-consuming Process
It takes a lot of labor to turn coconut sap into sugar. After being collected, the sap must be boiled in order to remove the water and preserve the sugar crystals. It can take several hours to complete this process, which makes it physically demanding for the farmers.
Coconut sugar may be a sweet joy for customers, but the farmers who collect it face numerous challenges. Coconut sugar farming calls for both physical fortitude and a profound awareness of nature’s cycles, from climbing enormous palm trees to battling weather and pests. Despite these difficulties, many farmers continue in their efforts because they understand the value of their work in creating a natural sweetener that is not only delicious but also more environmentally friendly and healthy than refined sugar. To safeguard the future of coconut sugar production and the welfare of people who make it possible, it is crucial to support these farmers through fair trade and environmentally responsible business methods. You may support the farmer and enjoy the sweetness by buying Realsa Organic Coconut Sugar and look further through our social media.