Toil behind candy success of Atreyapuram Putharekulu from A.P.

The candy aroma of conventional ‘nethi putharekulu’ (paper candy) wafts by means of the air in Atreyapuram mandal of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district. Women making melt-in-your-mouth sweets in small sheds and huts beside their houses, welcoming guests with boards titled ‘nethi putharekulu ammabadunu’ (that means ‘ghee putharekulu are bought right here’), are a standard sight in villages like Atreyapuram, Ryali, Vasantawada, Bobbarlanka, Lolla, Velcheru, and others.

“There isn’t any pageant or celebration with out our putharekulu on the plate. ‘Kotha pellikoduku’ (bridegroom) additionally has to style ‘nethi putharekulu’ throughout his first go to to the bride’s home,” the ladies, who had been busy making ‘Atreyapuram Putharekulu’—which earned the GI (Geographical Indication) tag two years in the past—expressed their pleasure in preserving the custom.

Also learn: How is Atreyapuram Pootharekulu candy ready

Nearly one lakh households are not directly linked to the enterprise. It contains girls who put together the delicacy, farmers offering important elements like rice, ghee, oil, sugar, jaggery, and dry fruits similar to almonds, cashews, and different nuts. The community additionally spans chocolate powder distributors, producers of candy packing containers and packaging supplies, sticker printers, and intermediaries who facilitate the commerce.

A number of years in the past, girls ready putharekulu at house and bought them in small packets. Today, the craft has grown right into a thriving business, offering a livelihood for over one lakh households, stated Chennam Suryavathi, entrepreneur, of Atreyapuram.

“Sitting at house, we earn round ₹1,000 per day making these skinny wafer sweets. “Putharekula tayari” (putharekulu making) is the principle occupation right here, and the lads assist girls in getting ready the sweets. Some 1000’s of households are depending on this occupation, the legacy of which dates again centuries,” stated Kadali Durga Prasanna, candy maker.

This culinary artwork has been offering a livelihood to the households of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema, East Godavari, West Godavari, Eluru, Krishna and different districts within the State, the makers famous.

“We put together putharekulu by making use of ghee to skinny rice papers after which add sugar or jaggery, chopped almonds, pista and cashew after which wrap it in one other rice paper. The style will depend on the standard of ghee, nuts and different elements,” stated Veeramallu Lakshmi, putharekulu maker.

My household has been on this enterprise for over seven many years, stated Ms. Suryavathi, including, “As a toddler, I used to assist my mom make these paper sweets at house. Now, I’ve arrange a stall and have been making putharekulu for the final 35 years.” Her store employs about 15 employees.

Festive demand

The demand for putharekulu is excessive throughout the festive season, particularly round Deepavali, Christmas, New Year and Sankranthi. “We have acquired over one lakh orders for Deepavali,” stated Chennam Suresh of Sri Sai Surya Putharekulu, a store that has been promoting the candy for the final 75 years on Bobbarlanka Road in Atreyapuram.

“We promote putharekulu manufactured from ghee with sugar, jaggery, almonds, pista, cashew and elaichi. Special sugar-free sweets are additionally out there for diabetic sufferers. We have just lately began making the standard delicacy in diamond, star and different shapes,” he stated. Besides, we additionally make putharekulu with chocolate jelly and powder, horlicks, enhance, carrot, beetroot, ice cream–particularly for youngsters. People from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and different States go to Atreyapuram to buy these sweets, Mr. Suresh, who can also be the secretary of Atreyapuram Putharekula Vartaka Sangham, added.

Mr. Suresh additional added that in addition they export putharekulu to Singapore, Canada, U.S., U.Ok., Australia and Arab nations, apart from tapping into the worldwide markets by means of Amazon and Flipkart.

Highlighting that the mandal witnesses heavy exercise throughout the pageant season, Kolli Venkata Lakshmi, a sweet-maker, stated that many individuals go to Pulidindi, Peravaram, Tadipudi, Lolla, Bobbarlanka, Vasanthawada, Velicheru, Merlapalem, and different villages to purchase putharekulu. The well-known paper candy can also be bought at Razole, Ambajipeta, Amalapuram, Palakol, Mummidivaram, Pendyala, Kamsalipuram, and different locations within the neighbouring districts.

Explaining the method, Karanki Jyothi stated that an earthen pot (specifically made for making putharekulu), particular number of rice, edible oil and dried coconut leaflets are required for making skinny rice papers. Then, ghee is utilized and sugar and dry fruits are added.

Mani Kumari, who educated round 25 girls within the village to make putharekulu, described the tactic, “We start by soaking rice in water for 2 hours, then grind it to acquire a milky, sticky rice flour. Using a wonderful material, we gently coat a sizzling pot with this combination, and inside seconds, delicate, wafer-thin sheets kind.”

Pricing

The conventional delicacy sells for ₹10 to ₹80 per piece relying on the scale and elements. “With demand hovering, we are actually producing putharekulu in a wide range of shapes, sizes, colors, and flavours to swimsuit buyer preferences. Makers are paid between ₹2 and ₹10 per candy for rolling them,” stated store homeowners. According to the store homeowners who make use of them, every lady crafts round 500 sweets every day.

“The price of rice paper used to rolling putharekulu is ₹2 and above throughout festivals and peak season. Each lady earns greater than ₹15,000 per 30 days by promoting rice papers and are enrolling their youngsters in personal and company faculties for schooling,” Ok. Prasad, autodriver, of Vasanthawada stated.

“I make greater than 300 putharekulu per day and earn about ₹700. My father is an agriculture labourer and I put together all styles of the wafer sweets,” stated Pammi Mounika of Pulidindi village.

Realtors, merchants, academic establishments, aqua corporations, and different businessmen order particular packs with their firm or model names on the packets for Deepavali, stated Ch. Durga. While Ch. Nagababu, proprietor of Veerabhadra Putarekulu stall stated that they acquired 5,000 reward pack orders from completely different locations for the pageant.

Hardships

Despite the massive demand, the ladies engaged in making the mouth-watering delicacy are dealing with monetary difficulties. They urged the federal government to take measures to cut back the price of uncooked supplies and to supply loans that may allow them to assemble homes.

“We purchase rice at ₹42 per kg, oil ₹110 per litre and dried coconut leaflets for ₹20 per a bundle. We request the federal government to take steps to cut back the funding price,” M. Ganga Bhavani requested.

Besides monetary hardships, the ladies additionally undergo from illnesses similar to respiratory and coronary heart points, poor imaginative and prescient, backaches, and different issues brought on by sitting for lengthy hours in entrance of the new pot. “A majority of the ladies in Atreyapuram, Ryali, Pulidindi, Rajavaram, Lolla, Narkedimelli, Ankampalem, and different villages are experiencing spinal and joint ache, blurred imaginative and prescient, and different well being points. We request the federal government to rearrange common medical camps with specialist medical doctors,” appealed paper candy maker Ok. Nagamma.

Happy prospects

The high quality of the sweets at Atreyapuram and the neighbouring villages in Konaseema, East Godavari and different districts is excellent. The employees right here observe conventional strategies and be sure that the style is conventional and distinctive, stated buyer Gollapalli Raja Shekar of Ravulapalem city.

“The store homeowners and the employees obtain the purchasers with a lot respect and supply samples after which take the orders. The costs of putharekulu in Atreyapuram are affordable when in comparison with different cities and cities,” stated one other buyer Anil of Kothapeta.