The Toddy Palm (Part 1)

 

In ancient times, when a guest visited a household, it was common to welcome them with offerings of warm water, tea, and toddy palm candy. Even today, this tradition continues in many rural areas. Among traditional Burmese desserts, it is rare to find any that do not include toddy palm candy. Discussing Burmese culture without mentioning toddy palm candy would feel incomplete. Since toddy palm candy is made from pure, natural palm sap, it is considered to have medicinal properties and has been enjoyed as a sweetener in Burmese cuisine since ancient times. Even today, it is a favorite among both the young and the old, and it is consumed not only within Myanmar but also in other countries.

The Toddy Palm Tree

Before diving into the topic of toddy palm candy, it's important to first explain the toddy palm tree, the original source of this sweet treat. Botanically speaking, toddy palms belong to the "Palmae" or "Palm" family. Other members of this family include coconut palms, areca nut palms, and over 1,500 other species. The toddy palm is a tropical and subtropical tree, though it also grows in temperate regions. These palms can be found across Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Pacific islands.

In Myanmar, the production of toddy palm candy is predominantly carried out in areas such as Bagan, Nyaung U, Popa, Kyaukpadaung, and Pakokku in the Dry Zone. Toddy palms can grow to an average height of 60 to 80 feet, and some trees grow even taller. It is said that toddy palms tapped for their sap grow slower than those left untapped. These trees have a lifespan of around 150 to 200 years.

The Toddy Sap

Many people mistakenly believe that toddy palm candy is made similarly to coconut water, where sap is extracted directly from the fruit. However, the process of making toddy palm candy is more intricate than that. There are both male and female toddy palms. The male trees produce a flower stalk known as a "toddy stalk," while the female trees bear fruit. Initially, the male trees flower first, and the sap collected at this stage is said to have medicinal properties. After about three to four months, the female trees begin to bear fruit.

The male and female palms differ slightly in the taste and water content of their sap. The flavor of the sap varies slightly depending on the type of palm, and toddy palm candy is produced in different regions, not just the Dry Zone. In the history of Myanmar, when the British were about to colonize Lower Burma, people from the Ayeyarwady Region were worried about losing their livelihoods, so they began planting toddy palms. Due to the higher water availability in the Ayeyarwady Region, the sap from toddy palms grown there tastes different from that of the Dry Zone, and the timing of its collection also differs. The sap production begins earlier in the Ayeyarwady Region, while in the Dry Zone, it is slightly delayed. Harvesting times also vary according to the natural environment.

The process of making toddy palm candy involves tapping the toddy stalks on the male palms with a wooden stick at the right time and rhythm. If tapped too hard or too frequently, the stalks will dry out, stopping the sap flow. Conversely, if tapped too gently, the sap will not flow. The skill of the tapper plays a crucial role in the success of this process. When the sap flows, a shallow cut is made with a knife and an earthen pot is hung to collect the sap. For female trees, metal spikes are driven into the gaps between the fruits, and a small cut is made at the top of the fruit cluster. The sap then drips slowly into the pot. The sap is collected from the male trees until before the Thadingyut festival, usually during the monsoon season. The fruits of the female trees are left to ripen, and the fully ripened fruit is called "late harvest." At this stage, the fruits are harvested without tapping the stalks. When the rainy season ends, the male trees stop producing sap, leaving only the female trees.

The Life and Economic Situation of Toddy Palm Tappers

The life of toddy palm tappers is far from easy, and their earnings are not particularly high. Because of the hard work involved, fewer people are engaging in toddy palm tapping and candy production these days. According to Ms. Kyu Kyu Khaing from the Department of Industrial Chemistry at Dagon University, "The number of people involved in toddy palm candy production is significantly lower than before. In the past, the landscape of areas like Nwar Htoe Gyi and Taungywa was dominated by toddy palms, and tapping was widespread. The industry thrived, but now, due to the backbreaking nature of the work, people are opting for other jobs. The decline isn't because there are fewer palm trees; the sap production is less when there’s a slight drought.”

Those who continue with the trade are typically those involved in large-scale production. On average, a day's work yields about 20 to 30 viss (Myanmar measurement unit), and if sold at 1,000 kyats per viss, the daily income would be around 20,000 kyats. However, that income is shared among a household of five to six people, so the pay per individual is quite low. After deducting labor and firewood costs, a person might earn around 2,000 kyats per day. Consequently, many people choose to educate their children and encourage them to pursue other professions."

"The toddy palm industry is mostly a traditional family business. Farmers are both toddy climbers and farmers, so it is a very exhausting job. They have to climb palm trees to extract the juice and at the same time work in the fields as farmers. Some only have jobs related to toddy climbing, which is why they are called toddy climbers. In the Bagan and Nyaung-U areas, some have set up huts and created displays so that foreigners can visit and learn about the process. However, some have stopped producing palm sugar. It’s such hard work, and because everyone knows farming is tough, they focus on educating their children. Many children grow up to become doctors or engineers. Some, if they don’t do well in school, go abroad for work, mostly to Korea and Japan. Girls move to the city to find jobs. In the past, every house had palm sugar production huts, but now there are only one or two left in the whole village,” he says.

U Kyaw Thein, who has moved to Yangon for business but hails from the Bagan-Nyaung U region, spoke about the difficulties toddy climbers face. He said, 'Palm sugar production is a family business, and it is very tough. Many people don’t want to pass the trade on to their children. They try to educate them until they graduate with degrees. Some also go to work in countries like Malaysia. During toddy season, people work, but once the season is over, they move on to other jobs like construction or gardening. In the past, once the toddy season was over, they went back to farming. Life for toddy climbers is as the saying goes, “If the season is good, you prosper; if not, you go broke.” During the season, things are fine, but once it's over, they have to borrow money from the landowners, so they end up in debt. Those who don’t know how to manage their finances can’t save anything. After the end of the Kasone month, there’s no work. By the time the Tazaungmon or Nattaw months come, toddy climbers are jobless. In the meantime, they do odd jobs or maintain the toddy palms, but that’s all. Financially, things are tight during that period. Some own their palm trees, but those who don’t have to lease them and work under terms like four days on, four days off. In some cases, the landowner provides the necessary tools like jars and firewood,' he said.

Dr. Cho Le Aung also talked about the declining number of toddy climbers, saying, 'There are fewer toddy climbers because many go abroad for work. Due to the poor economic situation in Myanmar, the head of the household often works abroad, but even though they go, it’s tough because it’s not their country, and they worry about their family back home. We try to solve these issues in the best way we can. It’s true; the number of toddy climbers and palm sugar producers is decreasing. However, over the past two years, the prices of palm sugar have been good. Another issue is the changing weather patterns. The toddy climbers have to adjust. This year, the toddy output is low, but the demand is high, so prices are up. The low output is due to the weather. They didn’t expect it. The toddy climbers know how much they can produce each season. If you ask them, they can tell you how much will be produced. But suddenly, the weather changed, and it rained. When the climbers were getting ready, the rains came, or a storm hit, and the toddy yield dropped. For the future, my partner and I are planning to improve things by using machinery and technology,' he said."

"It needs to be carefully maintained. This year, the toddy output is very low, but the demand is very high, which has caused prices to rise. The reason for the low output is the weather. They didn’t expect it. Toddy climbers can usually estimate how much yield they will get each year. The skill of toddy climbing is very deep. If you ask them how much they can expect to produce, they will know. However, the weather suddenly changed. It rained, and storms came. When they were preparing, the rains arrived, which caused the toddy yield to drop. For the future, I’m planning to upgrade with machinery and technology alongside a partner," she said.

Author - Hsu Myat Oo