Jaggery is a sweetener that is made from sugarcanes it is also known as unrefined sugar, which is prepared without the separation of molasses and crystals and is mostly produced in India. The colour ranges from golden brown to dark brown. It is used to make several Indian desserts and is known as a healthy replace ment of sugar, primarily because it is unprocessed. Nutritional Value Jaggery is Natural Sweetener & contains Iron, potassium, magnesium, calcium
-Kolhapur is the only place in Maharashtra where near about 25,000 farmers and their dependents are involved in Jaggery production.
-They produce around 9 lakh quintal Jaggery per year.
-Kolhapur is the main market for Jaggery in the country as it ranks first in qualitative terms and second in terms of quantity.
-Sugarcane seeds preserved by the Farmers’ community by age old practice form the prime factors for good quality Jaggery.
-Today Jaggery from Kolhapur are being exported in great quantities Europe, Middle East Asia, and parts of South East Asia. (In 44 countries).
-Kolhapur jaggery contains no chemicals. It tastes sweet and has longer shelf life as compared to the Jaggery produced in other areas of the country.
-Jaggery is rich in Iron, Calcium and other minerals and contains vitamin A, B and C.
-In Ayurvedic medicine system jaggery is used preferentially in medicine. It is used as medicine for problems such as acidity, cold and cough, joint pains, urinary tract and bowels; invigorates tones and improves digestive power; and cures itching and prameha, thus useful to cure many more diseases.
– Jaggery is widely used in the Indian cooking. In addition to its consumption in the raw form, it is used in the traditional dishes where it lends a touch of sweetness to the sour and spicy preparations.
-It is used in the preparation of alcoholic beverages and to make items like candy, toffees, jaggery cakes and other similar sweet preparations like chikki.
-Its regular usage is advocated in the daily diet as it is a healthy and unrefined form of sugar.
-The perennial rivers that flow down from the mountains brings abundantly along with them making the soil of Kolhapur rich in minerals and increases the nutrient value leads to quality Jaggery.
-The rivers arising from the Sahyadri Mountains having sweet water makes the sugarcane crop of Kolhapur sweet and distinctive.
-The atmosphere of Kolhapur region is 30-37 degree C (winter /summer) and therefore, the sugarcane grows quickly in the humid atmosphere.
– Because of salt free water from rivers, Kolhapur Jaggery’s taste, color and its durability is maintained.
