UYOKCHING FOODS LLP

In their own words

The forest dwellers of Manipur collect fresh bamboo shoot from the forest during the rainy season between July-Sept every year as bamboo get its shoots during rainy season. They sell it either in fresh form or fermented form in the market but they are not able to earn much out of it as their market is confined to the local market. In some places they don't even have market. They have to go to the nearby town to sell their produce which is very difficult for the forest dwellers as there is no public transport avilable to their place. On the other hand , many Manipuris are staying outside the state and miss our indigenous food like Soibum-fermented bamboo shoot as it is not available in the market outside Manipur. Bamboo shoot has been consumed by the North East people since time immemorial. Different tribes has their own method of preparation. We eat it either in fresh form or dried form or fermented form. Fermented bamboo shoot is the most nutritious and tastier and most sought by all the North East people. However, many products available in the market is full of preservatives which is another big problem in respect of food security and nutrition. Manipur is a hilly state and bamboo covers 61.36% of the total forest area of Manipur.136 bamboo species found in India, 53 are from Manipur out of which 15 are edible. Annual stock of bamboo shoot based products from Manipur is 15469. Many people mostly Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe people of Manipur depend on bamboo and bamboo shoot production for their livelihood and most of them are living Below Poverty Line. Manipur is a land locked state. It is easy for the forest dwellers to carry bamboo shoot from the interior of the forest as compare to bamboo which is very heavy. That is why bamboo shoot constitutes the major means of livelihood for the forests dwellers of Manipur.

Written by the company on its public Startup India profile. Not verified by us.