First Giri Mart selling tribal products set for launch by Sri Rama Navami
The initiative aims at providing better marketing opportunities for forest produce collected in tribal agency areas across telugu States
Khammam: The first “Giri Mart” in the State, aimed at promoting and marketing tribal forest products, is set to be launched in Bhadrachalam during the Sri Rama Navami festival later this month, officials said.
The initiative is being implemented by the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) in Bhadrachalam to provide better marketing opportunities for forest produce collected in tribal agency areas across two States. The facility is expected to be inaugurated around the time of the Sri Rama Navami celebrations on March 27.
Officials are also making efforts for the formal inauguration of the mart by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, who is scheduled to visit Bhadrachalam on the occasion of the annual Sri Rama Kalyanam.
According to ITDA Project Officer B Rahul, the mart will serve as a central hub for the sale of a wide range of tribal forest products sourced from agency areas in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The products will be procured from nearly 70 women’s self-help groups and tribal collectives.
The Giri Mart will stock a variety of items, including forest produce, organically grown pulses, herbal products such as karakkaya tea powder, and several household essentials. Products prepared by women’s groups—such as biscuits, pickles and other food items—will also be available at the outlet.
Officials said the initiative aims to strengthen the livelihoods of tribal communities by ensuring fair prices and wider market access for their products. Six women will be directly employed to manage operations at the mart, while a manager-level officer from the Girijan Cooperative Corporation will supervise the facility. The project is also intended to revive and strengthen tribal retail outlets, which previously faced criticism for limited availability of products and weak management. By consolidating produce from various agency areas and presenting them in an organised retail format, authorities hope to attract urban consumers and boost demand for tribal goods.
Rahul said the authorities are working on developing a logo and tagline for the Giri Mart, and suggestions from the public have been invited. Incentives will be offered for the best entries, he added.
Once operational, the mart is expected to directly benefit dozens of tribal women’s groups and enhance the visibility of forest-based products in urban markets.
