Sherpur (Bogura) correspondent

Date Juice extractors have started collecting date palm sap to cope with the demand of date juice and molasses in winter in Sherpur upazila of Bogura.

Wednesday (13,December) on the way to the village of Bishalpur Union their busyness was noticed. Besides Bisalpur Union, date juice is available Bhawanipur, Shima Bari, Kusumbi, Mirzapur, Shah Bondegi and Garidaha Union also. They have been collecting date juice and selling it for along time now. It is known that sweet juice is usually collected from date plums from December to March of the Year. As winter increases, so does the demand for date palm juice. Different types of "paes" and "pithas" are made with this juice in the houses of rural and towns. So, ignoring the severe winter, the farmers of Sherpur upazila are passing the time to collect date palm juice.

Every afternoon the extractors the white part of the palm tree and tie small kalsis (earthen pots) for the juice. The juice was collected the next morning.

Some sell this raw juice in the market. Many people make patali and jaggery with this juice.

Extractors said that the sap of palm trees is collected at the beginning of the winter season. The juice can be collected for four months of the year. They earn their livelihood by making different types of patali and jaggery from this juice and selling it in the market.

They also said that there is an increased demand for date juice and molasses for winter "paes" and "pithas". But palm trees are disappearing day by day. So someday maybe the tradition of date palm juice will be lost. For this reason, it is necessary to plant more palm trees in public and private initiatives, said the extractors.