Utilisation of Fishtail Palm (Caryota urens L.) in Tribal Area of Andhra Pradesh – Present Status and Scope

Fishtail palm (Caryota urens) are well known landscaping plants today and is widespread in peninsular India and Sri Lanka. They are multipurpose species with a variety of applications and thus very heavily utilized. Caryota urens, known as Jirika in Andhra Pradesh and Giraka in Telangana states, is a native rainforest species of tropical Asia. It is also one of the most common trees in the perennial forest gardens of high altitude areas of southern India. Also called as fishtail palm or sago palm and is traditionally tapped for sap from which alcoholic beverages are prepared. Tapping palms is the domain of tribal people in local area of Andhra Pradesh who are traditionally involved in tapping and utilisation. This paper focuses on the traditional knowledge from tappers pertaining to management of palm, its uses and tapping activities. The potential economic value of fishtail palm is assessed. The ecological and economic importance of developing markets for fishtail or sago palm.

Fishtail palm will yield throughout the year like coconut palms, but during periods of high humidity and rain, the supply of sap increases noticeably. Tribal men used to climb the palms for tapping, and women process for cleaning and transfer into vessels for transport and sells the toddy at nearby huts and road side. Each tribal family gets an income of 30000 to 50000 per year from each palm which is considered as family tree for tribal community in agency area.