Hyderabad: Utnoor tribal women have recorded ₹1.27 crore in turnover through their Ipappuvvu laddu business, setting a new benchmark for tribal entrepreneurship in Telangana.
Minister for Panchayat Raj, Rural Development, and Women & Child Welfare Seethakka said the initiative showcases how community-led ventures can drive rural development. She praised the ITDA Utnoor project for blending local skills with sustainable economic models.
Utnoor tribal women succeed in laddu production with government support
The Bheem Bhai Tribal Women’s Cooperative Society produces laddus using Ipappuvvu, a flower valued in Adivasi diets. Twelve women received training in Maharashtra before launching a production unit in Utnoor. The unit was funded with ₹40 lakh 60% from TRICOR subsidies, 30% from bank loans, and 10% from personal contributions.
To boost local economies, they use only regionally sourced ingredients like peanuts, sesame seeds, jaggery, raisins, cashews, and sunflower oil. Their recipe meets National Institute of Nutrition guidelines for balanced and healthy snacks.
Every March, around 100 tribal families harvest 150 quintals of Ipappuvvu flowers, mostly in Kumuram Bheem Asifabad district. The cooperative purchases the flowers directly, ensuring seasonal income for these families.
The women distribute 2,300 kg of laddus monthly to 77 tribal residential schools under the Girijana Poshan Mitra Scheme. They also sell 900 kg in the open market, priced at ₹360 per kg. Sales centres at Shilparamam and Balapur are operated by the women themselves. Additionally, they sell weekly at a stall on the ITDA campus during Praja Darbar.
This business now generates about ₹3 lakh in monthly revenue. The cooperative has become a model of self-reliance, recognised recently by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Mann Ki Baat address.