Traditional food making is popular in East Godavari district as some of the villages are named for it.
Atreyapuram is popular for “Pootarekulu”, Tapeswaram for “Kajalu”, Kakinada for Kotaiah “Kaja”, Avidi village near Kothapeta is popular for Milk Kova.
Now another village which is dark for several decades came to light recently with its exports is Gopayapalem. This tiny village in Allavaram mandal is having 300 families is an Island village in Konaseema.
However, almost all the 300 families are engaged in making traditional tit-bits item “Chegodi” (gold finger) from last two to three decades. This business became a cottage industry and Chegodi started exporting to places like Banglore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam and Rayalaseema area.
“It is cheap and best. We use fine variety of oil and other ingredients in making Chegodies”-said Ravanamma of the village and her family is engaged in this business from last 10 years. Kanthamma, another lady said that their business is only seasonal.
“Monsoon is our season. Most of the item will be delivered to route boys, agents and other middlemen in monsoon. We get good profit out of it. But it is blessing in disguise for us as our village will be submerged in every flood”-said K. Ramu.
The Chegodi will be sold in piece rate and it varies from 25 paise, 50 paise and Rs.1 according to its size. But taste is the same.
“It is advisable to have this tit-bits before 15 days from the date of manufacturing, because the plastic cover pack, oil and air tight pack will spoil the material more than 15 days”-said Gangaraju.
However, he said that they put date of manufacturing on each cover, but middlemen will tear off it in mid way.
When asked about total quantity and worth of business the village do in a season, they said that they are afraid of commercial and income tax officials, but it would be in lakhs of rupees.
