MARAYOOR, IDUKKI: A new local food product is giving Marayoor's famous GI-tagged jaggery a new identity, with the introduction of Marayoor Peanut Candy aimed at creating additional demand for the region's traditional sugarcane product and opening a new avenue for tourism-linked local enterprise.

The initiative is being spearheaded by the Marayoor Hill Area Development Society (MAHADS) in association with the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation. The product was scheduled for launch on September 3, 2026, with plans to promote it as a premium local speciality.

From traditional jaggery to a new local speciality

Marayoor is renowned for its traditional jaggery, locally known as Marayoor Sharkara. The product received its Geographical Indication (GI) registration in 2019, giving legal recognition to its distinctive regional identity. 

The new peanut candy uses this premium Marayoor jaggery as its principal sweetening ingredient, giving a familiar snack a distinctly local character. The initiative is intended not only to create a new food product but also to generate a fresh market for Marayoor jaggery.

The move comes at a time when traditional sugarcane cultivation in Marayoor and neighbouring Kanthalloor has been facing several challenges, including human-wildlife conflict, labour shortages and changes in land use. Declining cultivation has raised concerns about the long-term sustainability of the traditional jaggery-making economy.

Local women at the heart of production

A production unit named “Taste of Marayoor” has been established at Kottakulam, where a team of 10 local women has been trained to produce the candy. The women received specialised training in candy-making at Kayamkulam.

Equipment required for peeling, roasting, mixing and packing was purchased using ₹5 lakh in CSR funding from HDFC Bank, channelled through the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation.

The project is therefore expected to provide an additional livelihood opportunity for local women while creating a new market for sugarcane farmers.

Tourism could provide an important market

One of the most interesting aspects of the initiative is its connection with tourism. MAHADS plans to position Marayoor Peanut Candy as a premium local speciality and market it through shops in Munnar, Marayoor and nearby tourist destinations.

For visitors, locally produced food products can become an important part of the travel experience, particularly when they are linked to the history, agriculture and culture of the destination.

Marayoor already has a strong tourism identity through its sandalwood forests, sugarcane fields, jaggery production, ancient Muniyara burial chambers and surrounding natural attractions. Kerala Tourism also promotes village-life experiences in Marayoor that include visits to sugarcane farms and traditional jaggery-making units.

The new candy could therefore add another product to Marayoor's growing portfolio of locally rooted tourism experiences.

Supporting the future of Marayoor's sugarcane heritage

The initiative goes beyond the introduction of another confectionery product. Its broader objective is to increase the value of Marayoor jaggery, strengthen demand for sugarcane and encourage farmers to continue the traditional cultivation.

With genuine Marayoor jaggery carrying a premium price compared with ordinary jaggery, finding commercially viable value-added products remains important. MAHADS and its partners hope that products such as peanut candy can create a more sustainable market while preserving the agricultural heritage of the Anchunad region.

If successfully marketed, Marayoor Peanut Candy could become a distinctive take-home speciality for tourists visiting Munnar, Marayoor and Kanthalloor, while simultaneously supporting local farmers and women's livelihoods.