Adulterated date juice!

People are unable to enjoy the taste of winter's gift, date juice, as adulterated date juice is flooding the markets in Lalmonirhat.

Many people, especially villagers, crowd under date trees to get pure juice when it is collected in the morning, locals said.

“We purchase pure date juice for Tk 40 per litre from the collector, but adulterated juice is openly sold for Tk 20 per litre in the market,” said Sudhir Chandra Roy, 52, of Roypara village in Sadar upazila. “Sometimes, date juice collectors aren't interested in selling pure juice on the spot,” he said.

Ziarul Islam, 36, a trader at Uttar Saptana village, said he gets five litres to eight litres of juice from each tree every night. “I collect juice from 35 trees, and sell it in the open market and even under the tree,” he said, adding that many villagers come to him for getting pure date juice.

“We take contract of a date tree for Tk 1,500 to Tk 2,000 yearly,” said Bakkar Miah, 55, adding that they collect juice from November to March.

A date juice trader of Kulaghat village said they prepare three litres of juice from one litre through mixing water and sugar and then sell it for Tk 20. “Most people are not interested in buying pure date juice at reasonable prices as they want to pay less, so we are forced to resort to this malpractice for continuing our business,” he said, adding that he sells 120 to 150 litres of juice every day.

 Civil Surgeon Dr Kashem Ali advises people not to take raw date juice because it may carry Nipah Virus. “We should take date juice after a little boiling,” he said, adding that adulterated date juice is harmful.