The National Kithul Development Programme has taken the following strategic interventions and initiatives to promote this sector.
- Tappers Training Programme and Master Training Programmes to increase the number of tappers and impart tapping skills to young generation.
- Provision of safety kits for Kithul tappers (Safety jacket, helmet, belt, knife etc.) and introduction of insurance schemes to mitigate the risk of climbing related accidents and life threats of Kithul tappers.
- Introduction of traditional and kasper technology to increase the sap yield and bring unproductive trees into the tapping process and increase the sap yield.
- Quality improvement for Kithul treacle and jaggery (GMP, SLS certification, cost effective stoves, brix meters, PH meters and devices to assess the level adulteration) to enable it to compete with other sweeteners such as maple syrup of Canada.
- Registration and issue of identity cards to recognize Kithul producers and overcome legal impediments.
- Facilitation to link the Kithul producers with large scale exporters including buy-back arrangements, placing the Kithul products in city cops, super markets and franchising in the private sector and establish model sales outlets with high quality Kithul products.
- Nursery development and Kithul plantation to increase the number of kithul trees in the country and convert it as a commercial operation.
- Developing of user-friendly tapping system to reduce the risk of climbing - suitable elevators for climbing Kithul trees. Introduced insurance schemes for Master Trainers, trainees and kithul tappers.
- Promote, demonstrate and encourage Kithul products such as jaggery and treacle and kithul based value added food , beverage and handicraft products through exhibitions, trade fairs and other modalities.
- Research and Development :
1. Introducing Kithul as a nutritional and healthy sweetener by analyzing its medicinal and nutritional contents.
2. Nutritional labeling of Kithul products
3. Preserving sap from fermentation to enable it to produce more treacle and jaggery instead of toddy.
4. Prevention of melting of jaggery and appropriate packing.
The surveys undertaken by the ministry in partnership with the Department of Census and Statistics revealed that there are 3 million Kithul trees in 18 districts which includes Ratnapura, Kandy, Badulla, Moneragala, Matara, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya, Kalutara, Galle, Kurunegalle, Matale, Hambantota, Colombo, Gampaha, Ampara, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Puttalam. (ST/KH)
