Malkangiri: Tribal women in the cut-off region of Chitrakonda block in this district have been able to bring about a turn in their lives by taking up turmeric cultivation on hilltop, a report said Saturday.
Turmeric has given the women a new lease of life. The cut-off region has now been renamed as ‘Swabhiman Anchal’ by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik during the inauguration of the Gurupriya Bridge.
Earlier, Kandhamal district had earned a name in turmeric cultivation in the state where large firms purchase the produce for use in preparation of medicines, cosmetic and food products. Now, the tribal women in Chitrakonda are claiming their share of success in turmeric production. In fact, turmeric cultivation has helped them earn their livelihood and improve their living standards.
The change came after some people left their villages and took up shifting cultivation of raggi, millets and pulses on the hills in Chitrakonda region. This inspired the women to take up turmeric cultivation to add to their family income.
The matter came to the fore when this correspondent happened to visit the turmeric plantation on a hill done by two Kondh tribe women at Panasagandhi village near the Gurupriya Bridge at Janbai.
The two women — Daimati Hantal and Kaushlaya Hantal — have cultivated turmeric at a height of 300 metres on a hill. The duo claimed their ancestors hailed from Lakhai Jodi village which later submerged in the Balimela reservoir. These women have shown that they are no less than their male counterparts and can prove themselves when given a chance.
They left their village and came to stay near the Gurupriya River where they cleared the jungle and took up the cultivation of traditional crops like raggi, suan, carrot and pulses like kandul and managed their livelihood.
Later, an unexpected change came in their lives after they learnt from the Integrated Tribal Development Agency that turmeric cultivation could bring them high profits. Inspired by the calling, they took up turmeric cultivation on the hills in the rainy season which they have been carrying out for a decade. This helped in earning Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 per annum, the two women said.
They take up the cultivation near the spring in their village during the summer season. The turmeric cultivated by them has many takers as traders from Odisha and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh purchase their turmeric after the harvest and pay Rs 20-25 per kg.
However, they were left disappointed after they learnt that the traders are selling a kg of turmeric for over Rs 50 in the market. The women farmers claimed that they could earn more if the state government buys their stocks through procurement centres like paddy and groundnut.
PNN