Chhattisgarh has purchased the highest value of minor forest produce in the country at the support price.
According to the data released by the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED), minor forest produce worth more than Rs 18 crore 63 lakh has been purchased from the forest dwellers and villagers in Chhattisgarh, which is the highest in India compared to the other states.
Other than Chhattisgarh, only two states, Jharkhand and Odisha, have started procurement of minor forest produce.
According to TRIFED data, minor forest produce worth Rs 18 crore 67 lakh 26 thousand has been purchased in the country so far, out of which minor forest produce worth Rs 18 crore 63 lakh 82 thousand has been purchased in the state of Chhattisgarh itself.
Minor forest produce worth Rs 3 lakh 39 thousand rupees has been purchased in Jharkhand and worth 5 thousand rupees in Odisha.This figure of minor forest produce is increasing continuously in in Chhattisgarh.
According to the latest data of the state government, 72 thousand 727 quintals of minor forest produce worth about Rs 21 crore have been collected from one lakh 32 thousand 272 collectors in Chhattisgarh during the current season.
Only seven forest produce were purchased in the state from 2015 to 2018 at the support price. Presently, the state government had increased the number of minor forest produce to 22 keeping in mind the interest of the villagers, which has now been increased to 23.
Minor forest produce collected under the Minimum Support Price Scheme in the state in the current year include tamarind (including seeds), puwad (charota), mahua flower (dry), bahera, harra, kalmegh, dhavai flower (dry), nagarmotha, tamarind flower, karanj seeds and honey.
( With inputs from ANI )