7 things to know about sweet Palm Sugar

Penderes or Palm Climber is an unique profession in Tropical Country like Indonesia. They climb palm trees to get Neera or Legen, a liquid-like water from palm trees that usually used to make palm sugar. Penderes can climb 13-20 trees in the morning and climb again for same count in the evening. Mostly penderes can be seen in Java Island, in a area which has lots of palm trees surround. Penderes can climb without any safety equipment, alone, barefeet. If the weather is rainy, they stop to climb until it stop rain.

Penderes mostly a male profession and rare to know any female penderes in there. I have met many strong penderes, and one of them is Rasmanto Jakum, who can climb total 30 trees in morning and re-climb again in evening. Rasmanto Jakum is one of the senior penderes who run as penderes for 24 years. He lived in a small village name Kaliwedi, Kebasen, Banyumas Regency, Central Java province. Unlike others, Rasmanto Jakum is pleased to share about his activities.

1. Penderes is climbing without any safety equipment!
   it's easy to understand that a bigger risk ahead for penderes. If you do wrong, you can fall, with bone fractures injury, and even risk your life. they do it without safety, and commonly without using anything. a case for a fall accident is only fewer than five in a year.

2. Penderes can climb 13-20 or more palm trees in the morning and reclimb again in the evening for same count.

3. they can get at least 100 kg Neera collection for each 2 days.

4. 100 kg Neera can produce 20 kg palm sugar (gula jawa). Palm sugar here is different with gula aren which is same name known as palm sugar too. Gula Jawa, is produced by using coagulant to make it caramelized faster. a normal time to make it solid like sugar is about more than 12 hours. but with coagulant, it can be achieved with only 8 to 10 hours.

5. the product, gula jawa, or also called palm sugar, are simply rounded shape like a can, brown color, sweet taste.

6. Palm sugar is often used to a ingredient of making soy sauce (ketchup) in Indonesia so it will get thick texture.

7. Palm sugar is good for you to change cane sugar because it's healthier and safe to consume.

that's all 7 things you should know about sweet palm sugar. see u on the next articles