Fermented dry fish business empowers tribal women in Tripura

“Shidol”, popularly known as Berma (Fermented dry fish) among the tribal population came up as a financial assistant to the tribal women of Tripura, after the state shifted its track from the traditional process of fermented fish making to a unique indigenously designed technique.

Traditionally being prepared in large pots, this new technique conceptualized by Fishery scientific officer Raju Lal Debbarma enabled the “Shidol” manufacturers to prepare this dry fish product in 3 Kgs small pots. The new “Shidol” now has been given the name of “Langi Berma”. Berma, the Kokborok name of the dry fish, derived “Langi” as a prefix for the pots being used in it. “Langi” was actually a kind of rice bear prepared by indigenous people of Tripura in the pots which were engaged in making “Shidol” now. This process was not uniquely developed in Tripura and nowhere such kind of technique was used to make 'Shidol' out of Tripura.

The chief officer of Tripura Apex Fisheries Cooperative Society Limited Raju Lal Debbarma recalled days of his posting at Teliamura when this idea first struck his mind. After then Debbarma worked relentlessly to develop the fermented fish technique with stipulated arrangements and finally fetched success in 2017.

Also read: COVID-19: Tripura receives 50,000 kits, Rapid Antigen Test to begin soon

 “Since ‘Shidol’ is one of the preferred food items of Tripura for both Bengali and tribal communities, I have tried to reach out every rural household so that they can manufacture their own Shidol and we can cut down our import of ‘Shidol’ from Bangladesh. After 3 to 4 failed attempts I have finally achieved success in 2017 and from then indigenous people of Tripura have started employing this technology”, he said.

The core idea, he said, was to give the tribal woman folk a source of income. The traditional process of ‘Shidol’ making required huge set up and also needed to be leg-rolled in the large pots which was only possible by the men only. Through this process, Debbarma said, the dry fish could be stuffed easily by the women and it could be done in the backyard of someone’s kitchen only, he told the media.

Basically, the fermentation process in large pots took 6 months of time which kept a big amount of money stuck in the business for a season. On the contrary, small pots give end products within 3 to 4 months and the prices also remain almost the same which has given the traders an extra edge in Shidol making.

Only recently, Mukthang SHG group of Champak Nagar area bagged appreciation for preparing “Langi Berma” in the recently held fish festival. One of the members of the group Ratilata Debbarma said, “Usually, the giant pots are sold for Rs 15 to 16 thousand that carry 35 to 40 Kgs of dry fish. The small pots can bear 2.5 to a little over 3 kgs of dry fish after the fermentation process completes. By and large, the quantum of profit remains the same and many women are now showing interest to join us”.

Nanda Lal Debbarma, another key member of the group and who have also played an instrumental role in setting up Shikang industries limited and Baithang industries limited, two new companies that deal in dry fish products said, “Earlier Shidol was largely imported from Bangladesh. Initially we have also started making it in such a way but then we thought if it can be prepared in lesser arrangements, the profit can be doubled. We then begin to prepare it in smaller pots and bagged success in less time. The woman folk of the tribal areas are now also showing interest to make it in their kitchen. People who want to eat can also buy the entire pots”.

Nanda also expressed as to how the lockdown had dealt a blow to their business. “traditionally Shidol is a cure to diseases like fever and cold. The Covid 19 situation has just added up to its demand in the markets but due to the lockdown, we have failed to make Shidol this season. In the month of March, we used to procure the raw materials but this year lack of transportation and unprecedented spread of the Covid 19 prevent us from making Shidol”.  

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