Preparations Begin for Date Palm Sap Harvest in Barguna

 

As winter approaches, preparations for collecting date palm sap have begun in Patharghata of Barguna district. Villages across the upazila are now bustling with the activities of local gachhis—traditional sap collectors—who are busy cleaning and trimming date palm trees while preparing the clay pots used for sap collection.

Kalam Sardar of Chollathimara village, Harun Or Rashid of Jintala village, and Abdus Sobahan of Padma village shared that the harvesting season usually starts in mid-November. To ensure high-quality sap, every tree is being carefully maintained from now on.

At dawn, the freshly collected sap is enjoyed directly as a natural drink by locals, while others use it to make traditional delicacies like date palm milk pudding and the famous khejurer gur (date molasses). In several villages of Patharghata, the ongoing preparations have already become a scene of excitement.

“We are trimming the trees at this moment. Once the cold intensifies, sap will start to drip, and that’s when the real rush begins,” said sap collector Abdul Mannan.

According to the local agriculture department, favorable weather conditions are expected to yield a good amount of date palm sap and molasses this year. With anticipation of a successful season ahead, winter brings joy and hope to those involved in this traditional li

velihood.