Farmers’ associations have called for lifting the ban on toddy tapping in Tamil Nadu, contending that it is a health drink. “We want Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay and his government to lift the ban, which would create jobs and help many families. The product can also be exported,” said C. Nallasamy, coordinator, Tamil Nadu Toddy Movement.

Various farmers’ associations have been pressing this demand to bring some respite to thousands of toddy tappers, whose livelihood depends on this. “Mostly places such as Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Ramanathapuram, and Kanniyakumari have palmyrahs. Since they help anchor groundwater, they are planted along ponds and farmlands. No other State has banned toddy,” he said. The movement has been regularly petitioning governments and Chief Ministers, but to no avail. “I remember an incident when a former Chief Minister had promised to lift the ban and had invited us to a conference. But ultimately, there was no announcement, and we went back dejected. We have been at this for over 35 years now and hope there will be some relief,” Mr. Nallasamy said.

E. Devarajulu, Chennai zone coordinator of the Tamizhaga Vivasayigal Paadhugappu Sangam, said that when the government ran Tasmac shops and procured Indian Made Foreign Liquor for sale at these outlets, it might as well run shops selling toddy. It will earn some revenue from that. “Toddy is a natural drink, does not have much alcohol content and has plenty of vitamins. Judges have asked if the State government had planned to lift the ban. Even recently, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court sought to know if a framework for tapping, production, and sale of toddy could be devised in the State.”

Following reports that the State government plans to permit resto-bars to operate, as in neighbouring States, farmers demanded that the ban on toddy be lifted, noting that no such prohibition exists in those States.

After TVK came to power, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay closed the 717 Tasmac outlets that operated within 500 meters of bus stands, temples, and educational institutions. Amid reports that the government is considering permitting resto-bars to reduce the number of bars attached to TASMAC outlets—a move opposed by the AIADMK, PMK and BJP—farmers say the time is right to lift the ban on toddy.

Uzhavar Perunthalaivar Narayanasamy Naidu’s Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam president R. Velusamy said that in the past, toddy was a part of the food culture of Tamil people and was also used for medicinal purposes. But the Tamil Nadu government has banned tapping toddy since 1987. While the government allows liquor, which is both harmful to health and society and earns revenue, why is it not allowing toddy, which would increase the revenue of farmers? Not only farmers, but thousands of palm tree workers will also benefit if the toddy ban is lifted in Tamil Nadu.

Mr. Velusamy said farmers’ associations had repeatedly demanded that the ban be lifted, but the State government had not acted on their demand.

Demanding that the Tamil Nadu government adopt the toddy policy followed by neighbouring States, Mr. Velusamy said that the State government wants to introduce resto-bars by following the nearby States like Karnataka, Andhra, Kerala, and Puducherry; why is it not allowing toddy that is allowed in these States?

“We expect the TVK government in its first budget will announce lifting the ban on toddy. If not, on September 15, on behalf of our association, we will organise a protest by locking Tasmac outlets,” Mr. Velusamy added.