As one travels down to Sarugudu village in Nathavaram mandal of the district, a rare sight, surrounded by hills and forests and inhabited by Girijans, is seen. Tapioca tumours, cut into small pieces, are dried on a large area.
About 10 members of the family of Uppu Bhadram, including a few children, are busy peeling off the tumours and cutting them into small pieces. Men are seen collecting them in baskets and dumping them on a nearby plot for drying.
Bhadram says it is the first time that tapioca is being raised in this part of the district. Bhadram’s family is originally from a village near Rajahmundry. His grandfather came to the area some 60 years ago and the family was raising some crops on the lands taken on lease. But Bhadram and others of the present generation decided to try their luck with tapioca. They took 10 acres on lease and raised the plants on six acres investing Rs. 2.5 lakh. Now they are harvesting the crop after eight months.
The present rate is Rs. 4,500 per ton and Bhadram is confident of making a good profit. The small pieces after they are dried will be sent to mills and factories to be made into sago, maida, glucose, and other products.
