Gur (Jaggery) A "superfood" To Reap Health, Economic Benefits

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Feb, 2021 ) :Many traditional foods are popular for their health benefits, especially as boosters of immune system. Since centuries the traditional and organic foods had been the key component of human lives. But, over the period the modified forms of products replaced the organic food.

Gur (Jaggery) is one of these organic food components of human diet. Since centuries, it had to be used to meet our sugar/sweetness need when some decades ago its modified form � the sugar- was added to our menu. From there onwards the use of sugar replaced jaggery. Having been common in use a few decades back, not it is being used as a rare commodity and exchanged as a 'gift.' Fresh and warm Gur is a special treat during cold winter especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). It is an unrefined and non-centrifugal sugar (NCS) product made in Asia and Africa from sugarcane crop. As a "superfood" gur is considered better than white sugar, due to its numerous advantages.

According to nutritionists, Jaggery works as a digestive, cleanses the body, provides minerals, improves fertility, maintains bone density and synergizes health benefits of other foods.

The KP province of Pakistan is internationally well known for best quality Gur production. In Afghanistan and rest of the Central Asian nations the "KP Gur" is preferred for its different taste and quality. Approximately 104,000 hectares of land in KP is used for sugarcane production.

The crop is cultivated in Mardan, Charsadda, Peshawar, Swabi, Bannu and Malakand, Kohat and Dera Ismail Khan divisions with production of Gur manifold higher than other parts of the country owing to plentiful water resources and a much better irrigation system.

Globally, sugarcane crops is cultivated on 98.4 million hectares (mh) in Brazil, 50.6mh in India, 18.3mh in China, 13.2mh in Thailand, 13.2mh in Thailand, 11.3 mh in Pakistan, 7.8 mh in Mexico, 4.4 mh in Philippines, 3.7 mh in the United States of America, 3.3mg in Australia.

Similarly, in terms of production, Brazil produces 739.3 million tons, India 341.2, China 126.1, Thailand 1001.1, Pakistan 63.7, Mexico 61.2, Philippines 31.9, United States 27.9 million and Australia 23.7 million tons sugarcane.

Unfortunately, in terms of Gur export, Pakistan stands nowhere. The leading exporters include China, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Korea, Brazil and Indonesia. These countries have advanced technology and equipment for processing and packaging of Gur. Pakistan, however, uses decades old 'Gani Methods' Gur production (KP). These include traditional small industrial units where sugarcane is squeezed by simple and primitive machinery and then baked till it becomes Gur (Jaggery).

Amanullah Khan a Gani owner described Gur production as a labor intensive task involving use of human and animal labour at various stages, from sugarcane collection to processing of Gur at Gani which according to him requires at least a staff of 7 to 8 members.

He said that they rely on manpower and animals and a Chinese made machinery to grind the sugarcanes and juice out the light green natural sugar runs through an iron pipe down straight into a rectangle pool, of one meter in volume, for storage.

Khalid Damani, a landowner from DI Khan district said the Gur production is a very tense business as there is no support from the government for the local farmers and producers of sugarcane. "Most of the agricultural lands in DI Khan are now being converted into housing schemes, because nothing comes into our accounts despite being busy round the year we get a mere sum of 5000 PKR for a bag of 100 KG Gur".

He said that from one bale of sugarcane approximately 14 to 17 bundles of Gur are made, which cost Rs 2,400 including diesel and labor. If a hired bullock is used to make sugarcane husks, the cost mounts to Rs 4,000 while the price of a 40 to 50 Kgs of Gur goes to Rs 6,000 only.

He said this crop takes one year to ripe and since farmers are exploited by sugar industry, it is not very attractive for them. "Farmers are provided due relief. Fertilizers and other agricultural interventions are expensive and the cost of cultivating sugarcane on one kanal of land is around Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,000." He appealed to the federal and KP governments to help the farmers and make fertilizers cheaper, repair waterways and pave the canals to prevent wastage of water. He also called for revamping of the entire irrigation system and paving canal beds to prevent water loss.

All across KP, approximately fifty thousand bags of Gur (100 KG each) are produced and brought into the market on a daily basis in the four-month season, says Haji Shabir Haji, general secretary of All Gur Traders Association Pakistan.

According to him, 2000 Ganis (Gur processing traditional industries) are active across the province. The Gur is prepared in three different categories including first quality largely utilized by people instead of Sugar, the second category is either used in Wine production or in animals' eateries and the third one is mainly used in cigarette factories.

Haji Shabir also informed that KP Gur is popular in Afghanistan and some Central Asian nations for its different taste and quality. "We have lost the market owing to different reasons and now the 100 KG Gur bag that had a price of 6000 PKRs is now sold at 4000 PKRs only," he said.

The Afghanistan market is now filled with "Indian Gur" but still Gur from Peshawar market is still in demand by Afghan masses. However it's not the people who make this choice rather the governments decide from which country they have to import Gur, told Haji Shabir.

Researcher Basir Mohammad, a student at the Department of Agriculture, Swabi University said, the small Gur market is scourged by several problems and if it is incentivized, Pakistan can manage good exports especially to Central Asia markets.

In the recent past Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) asked the Federal Ministry of Commerce and FBR to issue a separate HS code for export of Gur (Jaggery) as the customs authorities were including Gur (jaggery) in code with sugar and brown sugar thus increasing the taxation.

People associated to this industry have demanded from the government to ensure supply of cheaper inputs as well as irrigation water, this industry can flourish fast and earn revenue for national kitty.