Hyderabad: In Greater Hyderabad, about 2 to 2.5% of people drink toddy. Among them, 15 to 20% are women who use it to relieve stress from their hard work. There are 42 toddy societies supplying to 97 shops across the city. The Telangana Goud Kallu Geeta Sanghala Samanvaya Committee (TGKGSSC) states that toddy consumption at each depot varies from 10 to 500 cases daily. Each case has 24 bottles, each holding about 750 ml, with prices between Rs 50 and Rs 70 depending on demand and availability.
Yelikatte Vijay Kumar Goud, president of the Gouda Jana Hakkula Porata Samithi, explained that toddy trees aren’t available in the city. Societies are given 400 to 500 trees in villages. Workers climb these trees, and the toddy is then transported to the city depots. A government order allocated 42 societies and 103 depots, but only 97 are now operational. The allocation of trees is strictly monitored to prevent adulteration.
Toddy is considered sacred by tappers, who dedicate their lives to the craft. Women, making up 15 to 20% of consumers, often work in physically demanding jobs like construction and domestic work. They typically drink one to two bottles daily.
Recently, adulterated toddy led to over a dozen deaths in Hyderabad, prompting officials to consider closing shops due to health concerns. Venkanna Goud, the TGKGSSC state convener, insists that action should target those responsible for adulteration. He argues against banning toddy, as it supports 15 to 20 lakh people, including Gouds, Wadrangis, Koyas, and Are-Katikas. Banning would severely affect their livelihoods.
He assures there’s minimal chance for adulteration since registered vehicles transport toddy, and excise officials check samples at depots. An entire system oversees the supply chain. One incident shouldn’t lead to a complete ban on the profession.
There are 8,500 Toddy Cooperative Societies (TCS) and 2,800 tappers in the state. Palm tree toddy is available three months a year, while toddy from Thati chettu (palmyra palm) is available the rest of the year, ensuring a continuous supply.
