E P Salimon may not look the part but this unassuming toddy tapper earns as much as, say, the hep manager of a new-gen bank. He makes approximately Rs 4,000 per day or roughly about Rs 1.25 lakh per month during the summer months, when the blistering heat forces people to seek something cheap and cold to lift their spirits.
Palm trees are taken on lease by toddy shop owners and for one litre of toddy — which costs between Rs 60 to 70 — the tree owner gets Rs 30 while the toddy tapper gets Rs 18.
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During peak season, Salimon taps around 210 litres of toddy and since he’s a member of Kerala Toddy Workers’ Welfare Fund Board, he also gets Rs 302 as daily allowance. There is PF and gratuity too from the welfare board and to, top it, an annual bonus – last year he got Rs 2.5 lakh.