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No typical south Indian meal is complete without a fiery, lip-smacking pickle to go with flaming hot rice livened up with an array of spices and a liberal helping of ghee.
And no pickle in this part of the world is quite as favoured as the one that comes from the storied and scenic Konaseema delta of East Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh.
The world loves the pickles that the twin island villages of Ankampalem and Narkedipalli in the above-mentioned district’s Atryapuram block make and peddle day in and day out. The villages are located 12 km from Ravulapalem, the ‘gateway’ to Konaseema.
For nearly two centuries, the two villages have been engaged in the business of exporting pickles made from mango and an array of other fruits and vegetables that grow in this coastal area.
The pickles, sold in both leak-proof polythene packets (for consumers within the state) and earthy jars (for export to other parts of India and the world), have brought Ankampalem and Narkedpalli much fame and prosperity over the decades.
Virtually every family in the twin villages makes a living by making and selling pickles. The cottage industry has an annual turnover of Rs 25 crore.
The demand for the Konaseema line-up of pickles was initially fuelled by Andhra Pradesh’s own doctors and engineers who left the state to work in other parts of India as well as in the West. As exports rose, the pickles found new takers and the villagers thrived.
Interestingly, the villagers here, known for their entrepreneurial acumen and networking skills, have never taken to farming, the most common vocation for people of the coastal region. “Farming was not at all lucrative. So the idea of selling pickles was contemplated nearly 170 years ago,” says Gopi Hanumanthu Balam of Narkedipalli village.
Back then, both East and West Godavari districts bore the brunt of frequent floods when the mighty river was in spate during the rains. Survival was a constant struggle against the elements for the people of the area. However, the scenario improved appreciably once Sir Arthur Cotton erected the famous dam across the river 150 years ago. The barrage unleashed a phase of prosperity.
Says Balam: “It was one Pitla Venkateswarlu of our village who pioneered the practice of making pickles that could be used throughout the year. Persistent famine conditions in the vicinity propelled him to get into the business. It was then adopted by his kith and kin, and later by the entire village.”
Seven generations on, the pickle industry here continues to flourish. “It is no more merely a trade, but as sacred as any of the traditional traits of rural Andhra,” adds Balam.
Time-honoured rituals mark the start of pickle-making season each year. As spring arrives, the villagers celebrate by worshipping the village deity - Ankalamma. Irrespective of caste and creed, they then begin making pickles of a wide variety with mango, lime, chili, ginger, tamarind, bitter gourd, aubergine and Indian gooseberry (amla). The mango pickle alone has 22 distinct varieties, the oldest and most popular of which is avakai.
The Konaseema pickle makers have benefitted from the government’s liberal stance in regulating the small scale processing industries that use fruits and vegetables. These units are governed by the Fruit Products Order, 1955 (FPO) under the Essential Commodities Act. No industrial licence is required for these domestic set-ups.
Yet, it isn’t smooth sailing for these pickle makers. Government officials allegedly lose no opportunity to harass these small-scale and traditional traders in connivance with the big corporate players that have permits in the pickle export sector.
The villagers understandably feel somewhat intimidated by any form of intrusion. Take the example of 30-year old Ganga Bhavani Nakka of Ankampalem. The compound in which her two-storey building stands tall turns a bright shade of red everyday as ripe red chilies are littered for drying. By the time her 40 employees turn up in pale polyester sarees, Ganga Bhavani has the chilies ready for grinding into a soft red paste. Business has been good but she is reluctant to share her story with TSI.
A little prodding reveals the reason. “We find it tough to compete with large-scale units like Priya Pickles of the Eenadu group though our pickles are cheaper and of a better quality,” she says.
Narasimha Murthy Garapati of Narkedipalli points out that they do not use any preservatives, essences and chemicals in their condiments.
The pickle makers of the twin villages also face problems of a social nature. The native spirit of accommodation does not allow for a cut-throat hire and fire attitude, but the pickle traders are usually hard-pressed to provide work to all of their employees.
Moreover, girls of the village, when they get married, take away knowhow of the traditional pickle trade to the villages of their husbands. Nearly 150 sons- in-law of the twin villages have over the years taken the cue from their wives and entered the business.
Mounting competition and other operational challenges have only strengthened the resolve of the younger generation in these two vuillages to eschew higher education after basic schooling so that they can help their families carry on the trade that their forefathers began many generations ago. The question, however, is: is this trend a boon or a curse? The villagers aren’t quite sure anymore.
Read also: IIPM Reviews, IIPM Review Ranking/Rankings Across India, IIPM Faculty's Review on Thoughts and Courage, IIPM: The B-School with a Human Face and Zee Business Best B-School Survey 2012 - IIPM ranks 1st
No typical south Indian meal is complete without a fiery, lip-smacking pickle to go with flaming hot rice livened up with an array of spices and a liberal helping of ghee.
And no pickle in this part of the world is quite as favoured as the one that comes from the storied and scenic Konaseema delta of East Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh.
The world loves the pickles that the twin island villages of Ankampalem and Narkedipalli in the above-mentioned district’s Atryapuram block make and peddle day in and day out. The villages are located 12 km from Ravulapalem, the ‘gateway’ to Konaseema.
For nearly two centuries, the two villages have been engaged in the business of exporting pickles made from mango and an array of other fruits and vegetables that grow in this coastal area.
The pickles, sold in both leak-proof polythene packets (for consumers within the state) and earthy jars (for export to other parts of India and the world), have brought Ankampalem and Narkedpalli much fame and prosperity over the decades.
Virtually every family in the twin villages makes a living by making and selling pickles. The cottage industry has an annual turnover of Rs 25 crore.
The demand for the Konaseema line-up of pickles was initially fuelled by Andhra Pradesh’s own doctors and engineers who left the state to work in other parts of India as well as in the West. As exports rose, the pickles found new takers and the villagers thrived.
Interestingly, the villagers here, known for their entrepreneurial acumen and networking skills, have never taken to farming, the most common vocation for people of the coastal region. “Farming was not at all lucrative. So the idea of selling pickles was contemplated nearly 170 years ago,” says Gopi Hanumanthu Balam of Narkedipalli village.
Back then, both East and West Godavari districts bore the brunt of frequent floods when the mighty river was in spate during the rains. Survival was a constant struggle against the elements for the people of the area. However, the scenario improved appreciably once Sir Arthur Cotton erected the famous dam across the river 150 years ago. The barrage unleashed a phase of prosperity.
Says Balam: “It was one Pitla Venkateswarlu of our village who pioneered the practice of making pickles that could be used throughout the year. Persistent famine conditions in the vicinity propelled him to get into the business. It was then adopted by his kith and kin, and later by the entire village.”
Seven generations on, the pickle industry here continues to flourish. “It is no more merely a trade, but as sacred as any of the traditional traits of rural Andhra,” adds Balam.
Time-honoured rituals mark the start of pickle-making season each year. As spring arrives, the villagers celebrate by worshipping the village deity - Ankalamma. Irrespective of caste and creed, they then begin making pickles of a wide variety with mango, lime, chili, ginger, tamarind, bitter gourd, aubergine and Indian gooseberry (amla). The mango pickle alone has 22 distinct varieties, the oldest and most popular of which is avakai.
The Konaseema pickle makers have benefitted from the government’s liberal stance in regulating the small scale processing industries that use fruits and vegetables. These units are governed by the Fruit Products Order, 1955 (FPO) under the Essential Commodities Act. No industrial licence is required for these domestic set-ups.
Yet, it isn’t smooth sailing for these pickle makers. Government officials allegedly lose no opportunity to harass these small-scale and traditional traders in connivance with the big corporate players that have permits in the pickle export sector.
The villagers understandably feel somewhat intimidated by any form of intrusion. Take the example of 30-year old Ganga Bhavani Nakka of Ankampalem. The compound in which her two-storey building stands tall turns a bright shade of red everyday as ripe red chilies are littered for drying. By the time her 40 employees turn up in pale polyester sarees, Ganga Bhavani has the chilies ready for grinding into a soft red paste. Business has been good but she is reluctant to share her story with TSI.
A little prodding reveals the reason. “We find it tough to compete with large-scale units like Priya Pickles of the Eenadu group though our pickles are cheaper and of a better quality,” she says.
Narasimha Murthy Garapati of Narkedipalli points out that they do not use any preservatives, essences and chemicals in their condiments.
The pickle makers of the twin villages also face problems of a social nature. The native spirit of accommodation does not allow for a cut-throat hire and fire attitude, but the pickle traders are usually hard-pressed to provide work to all of their employees.
Moreover, girls of the village, when they get married, take away knowhow of the traditional pickle trade to the villages of their husbands. Nearly 150 sons- in-law of the twin villages have over the years taken the cue from their wives and entered the business.
Mounting competition and other operational challenges have only strengthened the resolve of the younger generation in these two vuillages to eschew higher education after basic schooling so that they can help their families carry on the trade that their forefathers began many generations ago. The question, however, is: is this trend a boon or a curse? The villagers aren’t quite sure anymore.
Read also: IIPM Reviews, IIPM Review Ranking/Rankings Across India, IIPM Faculty's Review on Thoughts and Courage, IIPM: The B-School with a Human Face and Zee Business Best B-School Survey 2012 - IIPM ranks 1st
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