Onam kits bring hope to Kudumbashree units

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Onam season has changed the mood prevailing at Karthika Food Products, a Kudumbashree unit in Kottukal panchayat. It is busy preparing famous festival snacks such as banana chips and sarkaravaratti (jaggery-coated banana chips) that have been included in Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation’s (Supplyco) Onam kit for ration cardholders this year.

Before the onset of the pandemic, the trade fair and monthly markets held in the district during Onam used to fetch Kudumbashree entrepreneurs a huge profit. However, many units were struggling following the complete washout of potential markets owing to the pandemic. Thus, the order for contributing chips and sarkaravaratti for the Onam kits has come as a boon to women entrepreneurs during these challenging times.

“Karthika Food Products used to prepare banana chips, jackfruit chips, banana powder, sarkaravaratti chips, tapioca chips and powder which were sold through trade fairs and monthly markets. A five-member woman’s team were were involved in manufacturing. Though sales were happening through Agro Super Bazaar at Pazhavangady, there wasn’t much profit,” said Kottukal Community Development Society (CDS) chairperson, Prasanna Kumari S.

The lockdown restrictions led to the spoiling of raw materials and ingredients. “For the banana chips and other products, plantains are usually  cultivated by Kudumbashree members. However, those were damaged in the rain. We had to buy plantain from outside vendors. We hope the new decision by Supplyco will help the Kudumbashree units overcome the loss,” said Prasanna. Minister for Food and Supplies G R Anil recently visited Karthika Food Products and said the initiative would help in the empowerment of women.

K R Shaiju, district mission coordinator, Kudumbashree, said, “The unit at Kottukal panchayat is one among the 11 units in the district that are supplying Onam kits. Kudumbashree has received orders for 2.5 lakh packets of sarkaravaratti and 5,000 packets of banana chips. Of these, over 2.28 lakh packets have been handed over to Supplyco. According to the demand, we plan to increase the production”.Currently, the chips manufactured by various units are being directly supplied to Supplyco depots in Thiruvananthapuram, Neyyattinkara, Nedumangad and Attingal. Apart from food products, 21 Kudumbashree units in the district have received orders for 1.95 lakh cloth bags for the Onam kits.