Faridpur’s famous khejurer gur: A tradition undermined 

Adulterated khejurer gur (jaggery) is dominating the markets of Faridpur as a result of a growing scarcity of the pure one caused by a decrease in date palm trees and sap collectors.

In the past, khejurer gur used to be sent to different parts of the country as well as abroad but now it has to be brought in from other districts to meet the demand of this district. However, in the face of adversity, some people are still making high-quality gur.

According to the locals, at one time almost every farmer in the district had date palm trees in his house but very few are available now, which has reduced the production of gur. 

The locals blame the increase in the use of date palm trees as fuel for brick kilns, the decline in the number of sap collectors and the lack of fair price amid the abundance of adulterated gur in the market. Shopkeepers said impure gur is sold at Tk80 to Tk150 per kg whereas pure gur is priced Tk300 to Tk600 per kg.

Moreover, some sap collectors said the number of trees is declining and it is difficult to go far and collect sap from the trees. 

Adulterated gur is made by mixing sugar, flour and chemicals that are harmful to health. These unhealthy adulterated products are sold openly in different retail and wholesale markets of the area. 

Dr Siddiqur Rahman, civil surgeon, Faridpur, said there is no problem with sugar mixed with gur but it is harmful to add chemical colour and fragrance, which can lead to stomach ailments, and kidney and liver complications. 

He said the campaign and market monitoring would continue in the markets of different upazilas of the district through mobile courts.

However, the administration has carried out raids in different places of Faridpur and destroyed adulterated gur and fined the producers.

In this regard, Faridpur District Safe Food Inspector Mohammad Bazlur Rashid said the manufacturers use sulphur, red dye, lime, molasses and saccharin to whiten gur. In most cases, gur is made without any date sap at all. 

The campaign against adulterated gur makers is going on all over the district. The producer in Shasha village of Nagarkanda upazila was arrested while making adulterated gur. Around 30 maunds of gur were destroyed and he was fined Tk40,000.

Again, some other people were arrested for the same offence in Harokandi area of the city, 40 maunds of gur were destroyed and a fine of Tk50,000 was imposed along with seven years of imprisonment.

Mohammad Ashiruddin, a farmer from village Bishnupur in Sadar upazila of the district, said they produce the best quality white khejurer gur, which is sold at Tk300 and Tk600. Traders from different areas come to buy from them.

"Because of the dominance of adulterate gur in the market, buyers cannot trust us even though we sell the pure one," he added.

Dr Hazrat Ali, deputy director, Faridpur Agricultural Extension Department, said lakhs of date palms have been planted across the district in the last 6-7 years to restore the tradition of gur.

"We do not have the actual picture of date palm gur production and sales. It is necessary to find out the varieties of short trees suitable for collecting more sap through research," he suggested.