High demand for delectable 'Barada' leaves: Kandhamal
Phulbani: The turmeric grown in this district has made it famous across the globe. Grown here organically, it has recently been accorded Geographical Indication (GI) tag as well. Even though Kandhamal district is still regarded a backward district, some of its forest produces are in high demand among the consumers.
“As we see green tender leaves start appearing on Barada tree, we are sure of a fixed earning for two to three months,” said a seller in Phulbani town.As the leaves are available only during this season, and can never be found in the rest of the year, people don’t want to skip tasting these greens. “We earn Rs 3000 to Rs 4000 a day from selling these,” shopkeeper Abdul Alfa claimed, adding, “each of us usually sell about 30 kilograms of these by noon.”Town residents have their own opinion about the goodness of these leaves.“The trees grow on their own in jungles. Unlike the regular greens, these trees are never treated with any manure – be it organic or chemical. Neither are any pesticides used. Hence the goodness is retained. This is the reason why people love to eat these greens,” maintained Subash Behera, a town resident.“Earlier we used to buy 250 grams of these at Re 1. Now the price has reached Rs 100 a kilogram. Despite the rather high price, its oh-so-tasty nature prompts people to buy these all through the season,” he added.With the advent of rainy season, these leaves grow bigger and are no longer consumed. Then the lovers of delectable ‘Barada’ leaves have to wait for another year. Important to mention, these leaves used to be a mainstay in Odia kitchens for centuries, but had lost their relevance with the advent of modern dishes in recent times.
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