Tech-Proofing Toddy: Geo-tags for genuine goods

Kochi: To prevent adulteration in toddy, Kerala University of Digital Sciences, Innovation and Technology is geotagging coconut trees in Chittoor, Palakkad, considered the center of toddy production in the state. Digital labeling helps identify the individual trees from which the punch was obtained.

The university, also known as Digital University Kerala (DUK), also plans to impose labeling on vehicles transporting toddy to ensure that the product is traceable to its origin and at any stage of the supply chain. , is not contaminated from the top to the end of the tree. ,

“We have geo-tagged around one million trees and assigned them to retail outlets through blockchain,” DUK vice-chancellor Saji Gopinath told TNIE.

Now, a person enjoying a glass of punch will get information about where and from which palms it was obtained. Geotagging and mapping makes it easy to track the origin of a product. “And this, in turn, eliminates the possibility of the end user getting a substandard product,” the VC said.

Geotagging will also help in making more data available. In the past, all that was known was the total punch produced and sold. “However, thanks to geotagging, it is possible to get a picture of productivity per tree,” Gopinath said. All the data is available online.” He said that by geotagging of vehicles, the possibility of toddy getting contaminated while reaching the shops can also be eliminated. There are apprehensions regarding the purity of the punch served in shops.

DUK has also helped in streamlining the excise auction process. It has always been a stressful exercise involving all kinds of mischief. He said the platform developed by the university has helped improve the efficiency of the auction. “He has overcome all the problems of this process,” the VC said.