Daringbadi: Trading in turmeric and other hilly crops has empowered the women self-help group (SHG) members in Kandhamal district and made them self reliant, a report said.
Reports added that the women of SHGs have been able to earn their livelihood by selling turmeric and other hilly crops cultivated in the district.
The sale of these products has gone up with thousands of tourists thronging various landmark sites under this block on a daily basis during this ongoing tourist season.
The business has given them a new lease of life as the women who earlier found it hard to step out of their homes are no longer dependent on their men folks to meet their daily needs. They are earning their own bread and adding to the family’s income.
This has also given them power to make decisions that benefit themselves, their families, and their communities; contributing positively to gender equality and in poverty eradication.
The tourists have earlier noticed coffee and black pepper being sold inside the coffee gardens here. However, things have changed from this year as large number of women self-help group members could be seen selling raw turmeric, turmeric powder, mustard, white mustard, raggi powder, coffee powder, kandul (a locally grown pulse), horse gram, pulses, chilly powder, spices, badi, pampad, pickles and groundnut seeds near various tourists sites like Nature’s park and Hill View Park in the area.
The women members are preparing the products themselves and packing them in the most hygienic manner for sale to the tourists. They are earning good money from the sale of these products which is helping them in augmenting their family incomes.
Two women vendors— Latanjali Sahu and Jharana Sahu— said their daily transactions ranges between Rs 20-30,000 and they expect their business to go up in coming days with more tourists slated to visit Daringbadi in this winter season.
PNN