The Similipal kai chutney made with red weaver ants by the tribal people of Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district received the geographical identity tag on January 2, 2024.
Key points
- The savoury chutney is popular in the region for its healing properties.
- According to experts, the red weaver ants (kai pimpudi in local language) contain valuable proteins, calcium, zinc, vitamin B-12, iron, magnesium, potassium, sodium, copper, amino acids, among others.
- Consuming the species can help boost the immune system and prevent diseases.
- The red weaver ants are indigenous to Mayurbhanj and are found in abundance in the jungles of the Similipal Tiger Reserve, throughout the year.
- The tribal people also drink soup made with these ants.
- The red ant is the main source of protection to the health and safety measures of the local tribes.
- The red weaver ants form colonies with multiple nests in trees.
- The Kai families consist of three categories of members — workers, major workers and queens. Workers and major workers are mostly orange coloured.
- Workers are 5-6 millimetres long, major workers are 8-10 mm long with strong legs and large mandibles and queens are 20-25 mm long and greenish brown.
