‘Tükhu Rhi’ products in high demand, group struggles to keep up

DIMAPUR — A group of women from Bade village in Chümoukedima village is making products from banana plants under the brand name ‘Tükhu Rhi,’ which means banana plant (Tükhu) and weaving (Rhi) in Chakhesang, and exporting them to Japan as well as throughout the country.

A member of the group told Eastern Mirror that their group was formed in 2021 after YouthNet brought trainers to train them in their village. Following the training, they formed the Tükhu Rhi group, which now has 24 members.

She shared that they receive so many orders that they are unable to meet demand. They also supply their products to various outlets in the state as well as outside the state. Depending on the types of products they receive orders for, they make and supply them.

According to her, they have established their own office in the village, and 20 of the 24 members are married women. They make baskets, tea coasters, and other items, and prices range from INR 150 to INR 2500.

She described the manufacturing process, saying that they would collect banana plants from their village and then extract the bark with their hands. For the inner parts of banana plants, they use machines to extract the fibres.

They would then wash the fibres in clean water, shampoo them to add shine, and dry them for one or two days. She mentioned that the outer bark is directly dried after extraction and that it takes about 3-4 days to dry.

They would braid the fibres after they are dried and ready to stitch. She revealed that it takes more than a week to complete a larger basket and maintained that the products can last a long time if not soaked in water.

She also stated that they are providing training to youths in various locations.

In terms of the group’s working process, she stated that they will collect banana trees, transform them into fibres, share the fibres among themselves, share samples, and then make the products from home and submit them to the office within the time frame given to them.

Depending on the products they complete and submit, they receive payment.