Chairperson of NABARD, Smt.Ranjana Kumar, inaugurated the 2nd National Seminar on Kokum (Garcinia indica Choisy) at the Goa University recently [4 March, 2005]. The two day seminar organised by the Western Ghats Kokum Foundation jointly with the Goa University has attracted delegates from all over the Konkan region including Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Goa, Uttara and Dakshin Kannada, Kasargod and beyond. There is a vibrant interactive session
at the end of each set of presentations by experts in the cultivation, breeding, processing and financing of the development in Kokum in the Konkan region.
at the end of each set of presentations by experts in the cultivation, breeding, processing and financing of the development in Kokum in the Konkan region.
The Amrut Kokum or Brindao, i.e. a syrup made from the flesh fleshy rind [or sol] of the Kokum or Brindonna (Garcinia Indica Choisy) fruit, is a refreshing summer drink. This is pure sol and sugar preparation with no preservatives, additives or colourants. The brindao has a natural scarlet to burgundy red colour. It is generally consumed within the same summer season, although the natural para hydroxyl citric acid acts as a preservative ensuring a shelf life of a year or more..
In the Konkan region of Maharashtra state, besides fruit juice and sugar there are flavour additives like citric acid, salt, condiments (nutmeg, jeera, etc.) and salt. Class II preservatives are added by commercial Kokam syrup manufactures to increase shelf- life to 12 months.
Kokum Agal is a rind juice concentrate preserved in brine or salt. The Agal can be used to male instant sol-kadi instead of the lengthy process of soaking dried sol and extracting the juice each time. The excess salt in the instant sol kadi is the price of this convenience.
The freshly removed rind of ripe Brindonna contains just one percent starch and no sugar at all. For this reason, the quantity of sugar added to make syrup is twice the weight of the rind used. If a red wine coloured syrup can be made from sugar-less kokum or brindonna, why not wine itself? Indeed, red red wine can be made from Brindonna with a good body and bouquet to boot. Some households in Goa do make good brindao wine. The Western Ghat Kokum Foundation (WGKF) has also embarked on a journey for wine preparation from Kokum.
Brindonna rind contains about 22 percent hydroxyl citric acid [or HCA], a suppressant of lipogenesis or fat production in the body. It contains 2.4 percent of natural pigments like anthocyanin and garcinol. An attractive red wine with these natural properties is unbeatable.
Speaking on the occasion, Smt.Ranjana Kumar waxed eloquent on the properties of Kokum fat [also known as Goa Butter], the Amsul or sol and its HCA content as well as the medicinal properties of Garcinia indica fruits.
NABARD, the apex financial institution which she now heads, "would be eager to play a proactive role to facilitate the development of this fruit crop by providing the critical component, i.e. credit, through the financial institutions," she said in a prepared speech. She ,however, warned that "merely extending credit without firming up the backward and forward linkages
will not serve a fruitful purpose, "and advocated a" cluster development approach" focussing on all issues in the supply chain. Smt.Ranjana Kumar praised the Government of Maharashtra for recognising the potential of Kokum and including Kokum planting under the employment
guarantee scheme [EGS] as done in the case of mango and cashew plantations earlier. The Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeet [Konkan Agriculture University, Dapoli-Maharashtra] and its Regional Fruit Research Station at Vengurla were the front runners in research and development of Kokum. She said that corporate houses, with strength in R & D, should step in to develop various value added products from Kokum fruits. Attention is also required for packaging and marketing of Kokum products. Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points(HACCP) certification and licence under Fruit Products Order were also required for the Kokum processing units to make an impact in the market. She was in favour of positioning "Konkan Kokum" on the lines of "Darjeeling Tea".
In the technical sessions, Dr.B.P.Patil, Associate Director of the RFRS-Vengurla, presented the status of research at Vengurla, Dr.Prabhakar R.Bhat of the Indian Institute of Science's Centre for Ecological Sciences [CES], Sirsi, spoke of the status of Kokum in Karnataka and Dr.Devendra Pandey, Chief Conservator of Forests, spoke on the scope of Kokum plantation
in the forests to generate recurring income from this Non-timber Forest Produce [NFP]. Shreepadre, an agriculture journalist and facilitator of people's participation in development based in Karnataka, Dr.Kulkarni from Maharashtra , Dr.V.S.Korikantimath,Director of ICAR-Goa and others also shared their experiences. Dr.Nandkumar Kamat, the Organising Secretary was also the efficient floor manager who ensured that the seminar moved along
smoothly. Dr. Ajit Shirodkar, Chairman of the Western Ghats Kokum Foundation [WGKF] and Dr.V.S.Korikantimath chaired the technical sessions.
The second day's sessions include presentations on Kokum cultivation, fruit processing, non-traditiopnal products, credit and financing as well as an interaction of Kokum scientists with journalists Jagdish Wagh, Prashant Kamat and Fredrick Noronha.There is no delegate fee courtesy a generous sponsorship by the State Bank of India [Goa Zone] and Sesa Goa.
The proceedings of the first national seminar and a preview of the current seminar papers are available as illustrated books at nominal prices. For details contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] or call Ashish on phone 2451174.
For WESTERN GHATS KOKUM FOUNDATION
Miguel Braganza
Seminar Publicity i/c
Link:
Kokum - a neglected gift of nature
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