Tender palm fruit kernels (talshash) are selling briskly on street corners in the Sharsha and Benapole markets of Jashore. Buyers say the watery part of the kernel helps meet the body's need for water in the intense heat.

Palm kernels are being sold in various parts of Sharsha and Benapole. Many vendors go around selling them from vans, while others sell from the roadside under umbrellas in the blazing sun. Demand rises as the day gets hotter, and trade goes on from morning till night. The tender kernels bring passers-by, restless in the unbearable summer heat, at least a moment's relief, and many are taking the juicy fruit home.

Palm kernel seller Md Aziz said: "We buy each tree on a seasonal contract for one to one and a half thousand taka. But if a tree has a lot of fruit, we sometimes have to pay two to three thousand taka. If the palm crop is good, we make a profit of four to five thousand taka per tree. I have just started selling kernels, and it will go on until the kernels harden."

"Demand for kernels is high now," he said. "Each kernel segment is selling for five taka, though anyone who buys several at once gets a small discount. One palm fruit (three segments) sells for up to Tk 10-12."

Abdur Rouf, who came to buy palm kernels, said: "I have just had my first palm kernels of the year. In a few days, even better ones will be available. It is my very favourite fruit."

Upazila health and family planning officer Dr Mahfuza Khatun said: "The tasty palm kernel is a fruit rich in vitamins and nutrients. The watery part of the kernel relieves dehydration. It contains vitamin C and B complex, which are especially good for the body, and vitamin A, which helps sharpen eyesight."

She added that the plentiful antioxidants in it boost the body's immunity. Acidity often causes nausea and makes food taste bland; tender palm kernels help relieve this nausea and loss of appetite. They also ease liver problems, there is no alternative to tender palm kernels for anyone with anaemia, and palm kernels also help make the skin beautiful, bright and radiant.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.