CUNCOLIM: In a world where convenience and speed are king, it's easy to forget the value of tradition. But in Cuncolim’s Bali village, the Naik Raut family's coconut oil mill continues to thrive, defying the rise of big national brands that sell coconut oil at the click of a button. It's a testament to the quality of their product and the allure of old-world charm.
"It's something special to see this traditional occupation still being maintained by this family through the generations, and by doing so, they have retained a bit of Goa's history too," said Dominic Noronha, a heritage enthusiast who recently documented their work.
The family's coconut oil extraction business was started by the grandfather, Raghunath Naik Raut, in 1960 in Banda, Assolna. The original house of the family was at Bali, and the grandfather decided to
relocate the business to Cuncolim in 1965, where it presently exists.
"The huge diesel steam machine was moved to the new location at Bali where the family would continue their business. The son, Prabhakar R Naik Raut, continued the business with the same machine until electric motor machines came in to substitute the old ones in the year 1979. Four sons of Prabhakar continued to strive hard overcoming all hardships in running the oil mill,” explained Noronha.
Naresh Naik Raut, from the third generation of the Raut family, now shoulders the coconut oil extraction business.
"It's difficult to run this business because it is labour-intensive and I’m unable to find workers to help me. I cannot employ permanent employees because for almost four months in a year, during the rainy season, oil extraction cannot be done.
We have two machines for oil extraction, and there is huge demand for oil extraction. Nowadays, people eat pure coconut oil, and hence, the demand is more these days," Naresh said.
Cuncolim, Balli, Fatorpa, Assolna, and Velim villages are known for huge coconut production. Coconut oil was used for cooking as well as for hair and body massage. Local coconut oil massage was a tradition in every house, especially for infant babies. The demand for coconut oil was high, and everyone who had ten coconut trees used to keep aside at least a hundred coconuts to extract Gaunti or local coconut oil.
Extracting coconut oil is a lengthy process that involves drying the coconut in the hot sun for five to six days before milling. The oil cake, a by-product of oil extraction, is in high demand and is even exported to foreign countries. Some
societies that bottle coconut
oil also come to the Naik Raut mill for help.
Despite the hardships, Naresh Naik Raut remains committed to keeping the family's traditional business alive. "This is our family's legacy, and we will continue to preserve it."