Home ›› 02 Jan 2023 ›› Editorial
Six large furnaces are heating up sugarcane juice. If the juice becomes too thick, it is put into the side oven. When this juice becomes thick and sticky, it is pushed and kept there. After that, jaggery is produced by stirring it with the hand. This is how jaggery is prepared inside the late Abdur Razzak's home: naturally processed, unadulterated, and chemical-free. His two sons are reputedly carrying on their father's well-established business. "We have a sugarcane molasses factory on one bigha of land," they explained. "For the past 60 years, sugarcane molasses has been produced there. As children, we learned how to make jaggery by watching my father at work. So, instead of changing careers, we are following in my father's footsteps."
Late Abdur Razzak of Khandkarbaria village in Shailkupa upazila of Jhenaidah used to cultivate sugarcane. Mobarakganj Sugar Mill was established in 1965 in Mobarakganj of Kaliganj Upazila of the same district. As the sugar mill is 60 km away from Abdur Razzak's house, he could not send sugarcane there. So he set up a sugarcane factory in his house and began producing sugarcane molasses. Previously, cows were used to power sugarcane threshing mills, but now shallow machines are used. Sugarcane is threshed on one side, while molasses is produced from sugarcane juice heated in six furnaces.
In that factory, 1 kg of molasses is made from every 10 kg of sugarcane. All in all, it costs 60 taka per kg to make jaggery. They sell jaggery made this way in the market for 80 taka per kilogram. Jaggery is made for four months every year. Earlier, they used to make 400 kg of jaggery per month. Now they make 250 to 300 kg of jaggery. Jaggery is kept in tin containers once it is prepared. Many locals bring sugarcane to the factory to be processed into molasses. The molasses demand of the area is met with the jaggery made in this way.
Abdur Razzaq was undoubtedly a talented businessman. Hardworking and dedicated people like him are the pride of this country, and more of them are badly needed. People who strive to help meet local market demand with local products. People working for all and for the country becoming role models in the process.
Sugar is produced from sugarcane without molasses. Mainly, the sugarcane produced in Bangladesh is used for sugar production. However, in some areas, local people make molasses from sugarcane. In this way, good-quality jaggery is made from sugarcane in places like Mithapukur, Kapasia of Gazipur, Pubail, Simhasree even char area etc. Sugarcane molasses from Kapasia is well-known throughout the country. There is extensive production of sugarcane for chewing sugarcane and molasses. A large amount of sugarcane molasses is produced in that area. According to statistics, sugarcane worth crores of rupees was produced this year, and sugarcane was cultivated on 1,220 hectares of land in Kapasia last year. Kapasia jaggery has a reputation across the country for its sweet taste.
According to the Bangladesh Economic Review, sugarcane production was 67.42 lakh metric tons in the financial year 2000–2001. In the fiscal year 2020-2021, it became 33.33 lakh metric tons. What is the reason for the decline in sugarcane production? Many say that sugarcane production has decreased due to the closure of sugar mills, lack of government supervision and the importation of sugar from abroad. It is necessary to know how true or logical the matter is in reality.
Jaggery is a food in Bangladesh that has a huge demand and is extremely well-liked by people. It is used as a substitute for sugar and in making sweet dishes. Sugarcane is not only used to make jaggery; the sugarcane leaves and juice extracted from sugarcane can also be used as sugarcane. So sugarcane is very important.
In this country, things that are in high demand are adulterated. Adulteration is a special aspect of Bengali character. Recently, adulterated sugarcane jaggery was made by mixing sugar, flour, semolina, and chitagur with textile dyes in the Madhupur and Krishjpur areas of Mahadevpur, Nowgarh. After learning about the matter, the Consumer Rights Protection Department imposed a fine. It is also known in the news that a few months ago in Mahadevpur upazila of Naogar, date molasses was being made with sugar, flour, and chitagur (which is cow food). After receiving the information, RAB conducted an on-site investigation and fined the authorities.
Apart from sugarcane molasses, date molasses is produced in this country. Rather, it can be said that date molasses is very popular and appreciated in this country. Date molasses is made from the sap of the date palm tree. Date molasses is made by heating date palm juice using a special method. Date jaggery is made into patali and jaggery. which is a very tasty food.
Jaggery is very beneficial for the body. It usually contains carbohydrates, high amounts of iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and vitamins. It is very low in fat.
Usually Kushtia, Jessore, and Chuadanga are famous for date molasses. Jaggery market is held every Monday and Friday in Sarojganj, Chuadanga. Jaggery comes from various places in Darshana, Jeevannagar, and Chuadanga. All this molasses does not have any saltiness. This jaggery is quite sweet. Patali and date jaggery are very famous there. A molasses market has been sitting in this market in Chuadanga for hundreds of years. Jaggery worth crores of taka is bought and sold in every haat bazaar there. Eight to ten truckloads of jaggery are loaded into every haat bar. which goes to every part of the country.
Jaggery is not only a Bengali delicacy. It has been produced in different countries around the world since ancient times. Before the 20th century, the practice of baking in molasses with baking powder and filling the can was quite popular in America. They used this kind of sweet jaggery in different types of food. In South America, the first extract obtained from sugarcane by processing is used more as syrup than as molasses. It contains a lot of sugar. Next time, they will use the extract as sugar. which is very bitter to eat. Sugarcane jaggery is traditionally used in cooking in many places abroad. Many people also make honey from sugarcane.
Jaggery is an excellent sweetener and quite popular as a sugar substitute. Its usage increases, especially in winter. It is associated with Bengali culture, cuisine, and lifestyle. In the winter, when the new paddy grows in the house, the practice of eating pitha and payesh is still prevent in full swing. During this time, those who live in the city go to the village for holidays and cannot imagine hospitality without pitha-pais. And all these foods are made with molasses. Jaggery has an inseparable bond with Bengali life and culture. Because of this, the demand for molasses is high in the market.
But a class of unscrupulous traders mixed the molasses with adulteration, which is not correct. It spoils its nutritional value. Aside from that, the ingredients in jaggery are harmful to one's health. However, the government has identified and fined adulterated jaggery producers in various ways. Yet such misdeeds continue. It needs to be stopped. For this, the government needs to carry out extensive monitoring, and there needs to be a mechanism to punish such unscrupulous traders, not just fines.
People should also be aware. Adulterated jaggery must be recognized and cannot be purchased. Adulterated jaggery needs to be identified and destroyed. The media can play a role so that people can recognize adulterated jaggery and buy genuine jaggery. There needs to be publicity about this. Then those who make adulterated jaggery will also become careful and aware. Apart from this, the stakeholders need to be aware of the healthy, hygienic packaging and processing of jaggery after making it. In this case, the government can provide proper training to those who work in this regard. More research is needed to improve the quality of jaggery.
Artificial sugar and colors are usually added to jaggery. Adding artificial colors makes the jaggery look shiny. Pure jaggery is soft. Jaggery should not be bought if it has a hard texture. Jaggery is usually dark brown in color. Jaggery cannot be bought if its color is slightly white or yellowish. If the molasses tastes like sugar or is bitter when you put it in your mouth, you should know that the molasses is adulterated. It cannot be bought.
If people are careful when buying jaggery and avoid adulterated jaggery, then the quality of jaggery will improve. Besides, proper monitoring by the government is needed in this regard.
Abdur Razzak’s sons are still running their father’s factory. The way Abdur Razzak leads his life, his sons are doing the same. By this way they help out people with employment. If people in Bangladesh establish more work places in villages and produce different kind of products, this would benefit the country. Bangladesh should focus on certain improvements, such as native products and easily accessed products, this could improve Bangladesh as a country. The government of Bangladesh has targeted 2041 as the year of Bangladesh being a successful and developed nation worldwide.
The writer is a freelance columnist. She can be contacted at [email protected]
