Production and consumption of wild date palm sap and country liquor in two tribal village ecosystems of eastern Ghats of Orissa, India

Wild date palm sap and traditional liquor production and consumption in Bidyadharpur and Arakhapada tribal village ecosystems on Eastern Ghats of Orissa, India were intensively studied. Daily palm sap productivity was 656 and 92 ml tree−1 while the total annual production was 22902 and 106 l in Arakhapada and Bidyadharpur, respectively. Country liquor was mainly prepared from molasses and mohua flowers. Traditional liquor production technology is described. In Arakhapada annual molasses liquor production was 14706 l while mohua liquor production was 160 l. In Bidyadharpur no liquor production was observed. Consumption of wild date palm sap and country liquor was more in Arakhapada than that of Bidyadharpur. Consumption of liquor by tribal women is a peculiar feature. Input-output analysis of molasses liquor preparation revealed no monetary benefit.