Jata Sattu Producer Group, Bihta, Patna, Bihar - My experience at the Village Immersion

Jatta Sattu Producer Group

Bihta is also known for Jata Sattu. Jata a traditional grinding stone used to make sattu (roasted gram)- which makes this product a unique healthy product. In Bihar and parts of Uttar Pradesh, sattu is a popular litti chokha food item. People in rural as well as in urban areas drink sattu sherbet during summer. Once known as poor man’s staple food, sattu is costly now, branded sattu being sold at Rs 150 per kilo.

Role of Jeevika -

Bihta, a block in Patna known for Brass work and Sattu Production, there, Jeevika has mobilised a Producer Group for Jatta Sattu. It consists of 5 members. The production of Sattu depends on the availability of Gram and other grains. The production is nil if the ingredients are not available.Sahrasa devi  and like others who are members of Producer group works for   about 5-6 hours to make 5- 8 kg of Sattu everyday. 

Traditional Process- 

First, the sattu is roasted in a wok full of baalu soil which is abundantly available in Bihar. After the sattu is roasted, it is turned into a powdered form by compressing it into the Jatta. Jata, a traditional grinding stone used to grind dry food items is an important tool in every rural household. Women like Shiela Devi are giving jatta a new lease of life by making sattu with it. Jatta Sattu is packed and sold in local market.

Capital and Market-

The SHG member  of Bhita  took a loan of 25,000 to start the Producer Group from Jeevika .  With the help of this they earn Rs. 57,600 annually. It  is sold to traders , shops and also to melas. The producer group make Sattu at common facility centre to aggregate the produce   from different households.

The sattu is  sold during Saras Mela. They get Rs. 2000 as the income at Saras Mela.

SHG members  contacted Big Bazaar to sell their Sattu but Big Bazaar told them to get the sattu registered. The SHG members need to get FSSAI certification in order to sell to big retailers. However the know how of getting certification  is completely lacking amongst people who are illiterate.

It was informed  that locally available maghi gram, popularly known as dehati chana is used  for making jata sattu..It is sold in attractive packs of 250 gm to 1 kg in eco-friendly containers in different stores of Patna.

Way forward-

Jeevika can render 45 days training and skill development programs for the beneficiaries so that they can earn and make their lives better. The beneficiaries and Jeevika can come up with their own brand. 

Jeevika plans is to engage more women for making Sattu. It plans to set up jata at different other places in the district for making of jata sattu to create more opportunity for women.

Jata sattu has been branded Nalanda Sattu, after UNESCO declared it as World heritage Site. Branding the product in the right way is a good marketing strategy to reach out to metros like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore etc where there are big retails chains to cater to demand.

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