Bhadragiri Mart To Promote Tribal Products in Bhadrachalam

 Nalgonda: The Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA), Bhadrachalam, is upgrading the existing Giri Bazaar into a ‘Bhadragiri Mart’ to provide a common platform for marketing forest produce and traditional products collected and prepared by Adivasi communities in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district.

The mart is being developed at a cost of Rs 15 lakh and officials plan to open it on Sri Ramanavami on March 26, 2026. The initiative comes amid growing demand for millet biscuits prepared by Adivasi women in the Bhadrachalam agency area after they were mentioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme.

Apart from millet biscuits, laddus made with mahua flowers (ippa puvvu) by tribal women have also been witnessing demand in the market.

Forest produce such as honey, soapnuts (kunkudu kayalu) and fruits collected by Adivasis will be sold at the mart. Bamboo products made by tribal artisans will also be available. Self-Help Groups from agency areas will supply their products to the outlet. Officials said rare varieties of pulses and rice cultivated by Adivasi farmers would also be sold at the mart.

ITDA project officer B. Rahul said the mart would help Adivasi families avoid middlemen in marketing forest produce and create a dedicated platform for the sale of products made by Self-Help Groups from agency areas. He said about 100 tribal families were expected to benefit from the initiative.

Rahul said the mart would also enable customers to purchase forest produce and traditional tribal products at one place. He added that the facility was being designed to recreate the ambience of weekly tribal markets (santhas) seen in agency areas.

He said support from the Girijan Cooperative Corporation and the agriculture and horticulture departments would be taken to select and promote Adivasi products for sale at the mart.