“Neera collection and its value addition ” work was initiated at BCKV by DR. Dipak Kumar Ghosh (LKN), Professor Apurba Bandyopadhyay, Department of Spices and Plantation Crops, BCKV and Suddhasuchi Das, Research Scholar ---- a success story
The work “Coco sap Neera collection and its value addition” was started successfully in Balagarh, Hooghly under the umbrella of BCKV, West Bengal from August 2015 with the technical support of ICAR-CPCRI, Kasaragod. First time in North Eastern States one technological “MOU” was also signed between a farmer of West Bengal and ICAR-CPCRI for 3 years. Launching of Coco sap “Neera” in W.B has done on 9.2.2016 by the Honorable Director of ICAR-CPCRI, Kasaragod, & Honorable Vice Chancellor of BCKV from Balagarh, Hooghly. More than 350 participants from different districts of West Bengal had participated in the program at Balagarh. Besides commercial production and marketing of Neera in W.B, milk based Neera sweets are also being prepared by using fresh Neera, Jaggery and Neera sugar and marketed in different corners of the state with great demand especially from the diabetic patients. At present more than 50 sweet makers of West Bengal are using Neera Jaggery and sugar for preparation of milk based Neera sweets for diabetic patients.

Neera is the sweet, oyster white colored unfermented sap tapped from the immature ‘spathe’ or inflorescence of coconut. The collected sap is then subjected to filtration, refrigeration, centrifugation, processing and packaging. It is a delicious health drink, and rich source of sugars, minerals and vitamins. As it is rich in minerals and vitamins it is considered as one of the best natural health drinks. It can be promoted as an instant energy provider, as a functional food or nutraceutical drink. It is good for persons in post operative care due to high content of electrolytes. It is a body cooler and is good for digestion and with no side effects. The most significant characteristic of Neera is its low Glycemic Index (GI) (35), an indicator to the extent of sugar absorbed into the blood. Foods with GI less than 55 are classified as low GI foods. The global demands for low GI sugar are increasing and hence Neera and palm sugar as natural products can fill up this gap.

Income from Nut/plant 98nos @Rs10/nut =Rs980/plant
Income from 10 palms will be Rs 9800/year
Yield of Neera/palm/year= 200 liters

Price is @Rs80/liter.
Farmer is getting income from one palm @ Rs16000/ year
From 10 palms it will be Rs160000/year 

• First time in North Eastern States, “Neera” collection and its value addition” work was initiated in West Bengal under the umbrella of BCKV, Mohanpur, Nadia by Dr. D.K. Ghosh, (LKN), and Prof. Apurba Bandyopadhyay, Department of Spices and Plantation Crops, BCKV and Suddhasuchi Das, Research scholar under the technical support of ICAR-CPCRI, Kasaragod. For the betterment of the farmers it is commercially being popularized in West Bengal. As recognition, ICAR-CPCRI has published this work in their website.
• One patent was initially published on Milk based Neera sweets preparation process,
• As recognition of the work based upon the invitation of the Director of Research, Dr. Babasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli, Maharashtra, Dr. Ghosh (LKN) and Prof. Bandyopadhyay had attended one awareness program as resource person of “Neera collection and its value addition” at Ratnagiri, Maharashtra on 11th February 2018,