Instructions to prepare detailed action plan to increase social security net for families collecting forest produce

Forest and Environment Minister Shri Nagar Singh Chauhan has instructed the concerning officers to prepare a detailed action plan to further enlarge the social security cover for the tribal families involved in forest produce collection.

The Forest Minister said that Madhya Pradesh has abundant forest produces and rixch diversity. The families associated with collection and trading of minor forest produce can avail immense benefits by strengthening the forest produce based economy, For this, it is necessary to prepare a data base of every family so that multiple benefits can be given to them. No family could remain deprived of benefits.

Forest Minister Shri Chouhan said that local trade of minor forest produce takes place in weekly haat markets in remote areas. Many middlemen buy forest produce from tribal collectors at a throw-away prices and then sell them at higher prices. Collectors bring forest produce like Amla, Mahua, Baheda, Bel pulp, Dhavai flower, Chirayta, Nagarmotha, Palash flower, Nirmali, Byvidang, Gataran, Gudmar leaf, Satavar, Salai gum but in the absence of proper market strategy, they do not get proper remuneration. They sell it to local traders without getting the deserving remuneration.

The Forest Minister instructed the concerning officials that when the minimum support price of 32 types of forest produce has been declared, then they should also make a suitable strategy to ensure that the minor forest produce collectors get proper price for their hard work. He said that the prices of these forest produce keep fluctuating in the national and global markets. Therefore, families collecting forest produce should also be aware of this. The responsible authorities should make a fool-proof system and take steps to ensure that collectors can timely get information about the market rates.

Till now the minimum support prices of 32 minor forest produce have been fixed. By fixing the collection price of minor forest produce, forest dwelling tribes collecting the minor forest produce will not have to depend on middlemen for these forest produce. This will improve their economic conditions. Among the minor forest produce whose minimum support price per kilogram has been fixed for the first time, Jamun seed is Rs 42, Amla Anus is Rs 52, Bhilava is Rs 9, Anant flower is Rs 35, Amaltas seed is Rs 13, Arjun bark is Rs 21, Giloy is Rs 40, Konch seed is Rs. 21, Kalmegh 35, Bayabadang seeds 94, Dhavai flowers 37, Van Tulsi leaves 22, Kutaj Rs. 31, Makoy (dry bark) Rs. 24, crippled plant Rs. 28, Tamarind Rs. 36, dry root of Satavari Rs. 107 and for Gudmar minor forest produce has been fixed at Rs 41 per kg.