internship report_irma_ntfps

STUDY ON NTFPs, ITS FORWARD & BACKWARD LINKAGES AND

SPACES FOR INTERVENTION IN THE VILLAGES OF KANHA

NATIONAL PARK, M.P.

Submitted By:Anshuman Gupta (p30004)

Utsav Mishra (p30053)

Management Traineeship Segment

PRM 2009-11

Submitted To:

FOUNDATION FOR ECOLOGICAL SECURITYMandla, Madhya Pradesh

Faculty Guide: Prof. CMA Paresh J. Bhatt

December, 2010

INSTITUTE OF RURAL MANAGEMENT, ANAND

AKNOWLEDGEMENT

This report is a result of our Management Traineeship Segment (MTS) done in the Mandla

district over a period of 8 weeks during which we were very fortunate to interact with a wide

variety of people right from the collectors of NTFPs in villages to practitioners who have a

huge experience in this field. The insights provided by them have been instrumental in

making this project a success. However, we would first like to thank our MTS Coordinator

Prof. S.R. Asokan for giving us the opportunity to take up this project in Foundation for

Ecological Security (FES), Mandla Madhya Pradesh. The support and guidance given to us

by the entire team at FES, Mandla especially our reporting officer, Mr. Ishan Agrawal helped

us tide over difficulties and made our stay in Mandla an extremely pleasurable experience.

The timely inputs given by them helped us stay on track and finish the project in time.

We would also like to thank our Faculty Guide, Prof. CMA Paresh J. Bhatt, who guided us

with his invaluable insights about NTFPs right from the beginning of the project.

The project would not have been as successful had it not been for the informative discussions

with various practitioners and fieldworkers that we had in the various field visits done during

the course of the project. Our interactions with numerous forest department officials, villagers

and traders also helped us understand the minute nuances associated with the NTFP trade and

the report would be incomplete without acknowledging their contribution to it.

Anshuman Gupta (p30004)

Utsav Mishra (p30053)

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Title: Study of NTFP, its forward and backward linkages and spaces for intervention in the villages of Kanha National Park, Mandla, M.P.

Organization: Foundation for Ecological Security (FES)Reporting Officer: Mr. Ishan AgrawalFaculty Guide: Prof. CMA Paresh J. BhattStudents’ Name: Anshuman Gupta (30004), Utsav Mishra (30053)Objectives: (1) To understand the forward and backward linkages of major NTFPs found in the project area and identify spaces for intervention for better price realization to the community (people involved). (2) To understand the demand and supply patterns of fuel wood, its sources and fluctuations in prices during different seasons in two clusters of Mandla. Scope of the Study: The study was conducted in three different project clusters of Mandla district i.e. Mocha, Bicchiya and Niwas. Methodology: For NTFP, the study was done through informal interviews with collectors and traders in Mandis. Various institutions already working in this area were also visited and a lot of secondary research was done to explore possibilities for intervention.For fuel wood study, the fuel wood approach roads were tracked and informal discussions with villagers (sellers) and restaurant, dhaba and tea stall owners (buyers) were conducted. Findings: It was found that the distribution of NTFPs is quite varied across the three clusters. Though Chakoda is quite abundant in the entire region, Mahua is mostly found in Niwas and Mocha and Gond trees (Salai and Dhaawa) are only found in Mocha. Formation of SHGs as microenterprises for the collection, pooling and storage of Mahua is proposed. Proper training and financial assistance would reduce distress sales of Mahua and help members earn better returns. Potential for Lac cultivation on Palash trees exists in Niwas and Bichchiya. A group of farmers owning around 100 Palash trees can be targeted and on – field training provided to them for Lac cultivation. Palash trees can also be taken on lease from the JFM committees or the Forest Department. Chironji collection has reduced drastically over the years and is now done only in the Niwas area. Wild Honey was collected in Bichchiya and Mocha till some years ago but is now found in very small quantities. The tribals (Baighas and Gonds) still follow the traditional systems for collecting, weighing, processing and storing NTFPs and over the years, there has been a steady decline in quantities collected due to unsustainable harvesting practices and lack of awareness. The low quantities and/ or complex technology have restricted the possibility of intervention in almost all NTFPs to the pooling or grading and sorting stage. In fuel wood study, it was found that large quantities of fuel wood and charcoal are consumed in dhabas, tea stalls, households, schools etc. for cooking and heating purposes especially in Bichchiya. In Mocha, fuel wood is used in smaller quantities by resorts for heating purposes and by a few dhabas for cooking. The prices and consumption of fuel wood varies according to the seasons. The consumption increases in festive season (Oct-Nov and Mar-Apr) and the prices go up during winters and rainy season when farmers remain busy with agricultural activities and dry wood is hard to find in the forests especially during the rainy season. Conclusion: Each NTFP has its own unique set of collection and processing issues that need to be addressed for an intervention in NTFPs to be successful. NTFPs play a critical role in the lives of tribals as it provides them with an important source of income in the dry months when they don’t have any other source. Small scale interventions like establishing microenterprises are likely to be more successful. Regeneration programmes need to go hand – in – hand with the product intervention in order to improve the quantity of NTFPs collected and to make technological interventions feasible on a larger scale.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgement.....................................................................................................................iExecutive Summary..................................................................................................................iiList of Tables...........................................................................................................................viList of Figures.........................................................................................................................vii1. Introduction.........................................................................................................................1

1.1. Role of Forests in Rural Lives......................................................................................11.2. Non Timber Forest Produce (NTFP)............................................................................21.3. Government Regulations regarding Forest Produce....................................................21.4. Importance of Timber as fuel wood.............................................................................3

2. The Study............................................................................................................................52.1. Objectives.....................................................................................................................52.2. Scope............................................................................................................................52.3. Methodology................................................................................................................52.4. Limitations...................................................................................................................6

3. The NTFP Trade Chain.......................................................................................................74. Designing an Intervention in NTFPs.................................................................................105. Mahua (Madhuca longifolia)..............................................................................................11

5.1. The Tree and Produce.................................................................................................115.2. Collection and Processing...........................................................................................135.3. Production and Prices.................................................................................................135.4. Scope for Intervention................................................................................................145.5. Institutions Involved and Best Practices....................................................................15

6. Chironji (Buchanania lanzan)............................................................................................176.1. The Tree and Produce.................................................................................................176.2. Collection and Processing...........................................................................................176.3. Production and Prices.................................................................................................186.4. Scope for Intervention................................................................................................196.5. Institutions Involved and Best Practices....................................................................19

7. Chakoda (Cassia tora).......................................................................................................207.1. The Tree and Produce.................................................................................................207.2. Collection and Processing...........................................................................................207.3. Production and Prices.................................................................................................217.4. Scope for Intervention................................................................................................217.5. Institutions Involved and Best Practices....................................................................22

8. Lac......................................................................................................................................238.1. The Trees and Produce...............................................................................................238.2. Collection and Processing...........................................................................................248.3. Production and Prices.................................................................................................248.4. Scope for Intervention................................................................................................258.5. Institutions Involved and Best Practices....................................................................26

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TABLE OF CONTENTS (Contd.)

9. Gond (Gums).....................................................................................................................279.1. The Trees and Produce...............................................................................................279.2. Collection and Processing...........................................................................................289.3. Production and Prices.................................................................................................289.4. Scope for Intervention................................................................................................299.5. Institutions Involved and Best Practices....................................................................29

10. Shahad (Honey).................................................................................................................3010.1. The Produce..............................................................................................................3010.2. Collection and Processing.........................................................................................3010.3. Production and Prices...............................................................................................3110.4. Scope for Intervention..............................................................................................3110.5. Institutions Involved and Best Practices..................................................................31

11. A Pilot Intervention in Chironji.........................................................................................3311.1. Introduction..............................................................................................................3311.2. The Technology and Financial Requirements...........................................................3311.3. Legal Aspects of the Intervention............................................................................34

12. A Pilot Intervention in Mahua...........................................................................................3512.1. Introduction..............................................................................................................3512.2. Financial Requirements.............................................................................................3512.3. Legal Aspects of the Intervention............................................................................36

13. A Pilot Intervention in Lac................................................................................................3813.1. Introduction..............................................................................................................3813.2. Financial Requirements.............................................................................................3813.3. Legal Aspects of the Intervention............................................................................39

14. Fuel wood Study................................................................................................................4014.1. Introduction...............................................................................................................4014.2. The Study..................................................................................................................4014.3. Supply Patterns..........................................................................................................4114.4. Demand Patterns.......................................................................................................4114.5. Consumption and Prices of Fuel wood.....................................................................42

15. Conclusion..........................................................................................................................44AnnexuresReferences

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LIST OF TABLES

1. Table 1: Characteristics of Mahua..............................................................................13

2. Table 2: Characteristics of Chironji.............................................................................18

3. Table 3: Characteristics of Chakoda...........................................................................20

4. Table 4: Production and export of stick Lac from India.............................................24

5. Table 5: Characteristics of Lac....................................................................................24

6. Table 6: Characteristics of Gums................................................................................ 28

7. Table 7: Characteristics of Shahad..............................................................................30

8. Table 8: Financial Analysis for establishing Chironji decortication plant................ 32

9. Table 9: Profit and Loss statement for Mahua pooling and storage.......................... 34

10. Table 10: Cost – Benefit Analysis for using nets for Mahua Collection.................... 34

11. Table 11: Production Costs for Lac cultivation on 10 Palash trees.............................42

12. Table 12: Expected returns from 20 Palash trees........................................................ 42

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LIST OF FIGURES

1. Fig. 1: The NTFP Trade Chain......................................................................................6

2. Fig. 2: Mahua tree with Flowers................................................................................. 11

3. Fig. 3: Chironji tree with Flowers............................................................................... 16

4. Fig. 4: The Chakoda Plant...........................................................................................19

5. Fig. 5: Lac on Palash tree............................................................................................ 22

6. Fig. 6: The Dhaawa tree............................................................................................. 26

7. Fig. 7: Fuel wood supply routes and consumption points in Bichchiya..................... 41

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1. Introduction

Forests form an important part of the ecology of an area and play a major role in

conserving the biodiversity of that area. Biological diversity is the variability among

living organisms from terrestrial, marine, inter alia and all other eco systems1. Other than

maintaining the gene pool of different species, biodiversity is important for a large

number of stake holders such as the society, government, development organizations,

industries and most importantly, indigenous groups. Specifically, forests give home to a

large number of plant, animal and bird species all of which have their own role to play in

maintaining the ecological balance. Various products from forests are used for domestic

and industrial purposes. However, there is a tendency to over exploit this important

resource for economic usage which creates multiple problems. Every now and then,

actions performed by humans tend to destroy the delicate balance which in turn leads to

various calamities like floods, droughts, etc. Unsustainable harvesting of Forest Produce

is one such activity that has caused a lot of damage to the forests in India.

1.1. Role of Forests in Rural Lives

Tribal people are completely dependent on forests for most of their daily

requirements such as food, fuel wood, fodder, medicines, etc. They share a

symbiotic relationship with the forests with each one taking care of the other.

Forests provide them with an important form of livelihood especially through

NTFPs which are an important source of income for the tribal population. On the

other hand, forests require care and systematic harvesting in order to survive in the

long run. Generally, forest produce such as Tendu leaves and Mahua is collected by

villagers during the summer months when they are not busy with agriculture. Any

change in biodiversity affects the tribals the most. They are the most important

stakeholders in any activity concerning the forests and hence, it is important to

involve the local people in any effort to conserve forests. Unfortunately, most of the

change in the local ecology is brought about by external agencies without taking

into consideration the effect that the change has on local communities. There is a

greater need for involving local communities because their participation can help

make conservation and regeneration programs more effective and help achieve a

1 Biodiversity Conservation, Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) Programmes - Ideas for Implementation, UNDP, New Delhi

1

balance between the twin goals of biodiversity conservation and livelihood security

for the tribals.

Gonds, Baigha and Pathari are the major tribals found in the Mandla region2.

Though agriculture and agriculture related activities are their main occupation, they

also depend on forestry activities to sustain themselves in the dry months. Thus,

there is scope for establishment of cottage industries involving tribals to process

forest produce such as Chironji, Lac, Gond, etc.

1.2. Non Timber Forest Produce (NTFP)

All economically productive goods (including goods used for local consumption by

villagers) obtained from the forests can be termed as NTFPs. Non-timber products

can further be classified as products of plant origin and products of animal origin.

NTFPs of plant origin include those goods that are obtained in the form of leaves,

roots, flower, fruit, etc. while that of animal origin are those which are produced

mostly by insects living in forests and generally include honey, wax, lac, tusser etc.

These products are generally harvested by the local people and sold in nearby

markets. Thus, NTFPs form an important source of income for villagers and tribal

people.

Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh is one such tribal district that has a large forest

cover (about 48% of its total area3). Mahua and Tendu Leaves are the major NTFPs

harvested from the forests by the tribals in Mandla. The Mahua tree is harvested for

its flowers and fruits. Villagers collect Mahua flowers to produce liquor and sell it

to earn some money out of it. Tendu leaves are the most important NTFP for local

people in terms of income generation. It is used in the production of Bidis and is

bought by large Bidi businessmen from different parts of India. The villagers also

collect various other forest products in smaller quantities. However, these products

are either consumed by the villagers themselves or sold in the local markets directly.

Our study looks at the existing backward and forward linkages for the collection,

processing and marketing of various forest produce. It will also try and identify gaps

in these linkages and possible interventions to fill these gaps within the regulatory

framework provided by the state forest division.

2 Reddy, K. S., Forest Working Plan (West Mandla Forest Division), 1993-943 Sinha, M. K., Forest Working Plan (East Mandla Forest Division), 1999-00

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1.3. Government Regulations regarding Forest Produce

The government has passed various laws regarding the control of NTFPs. The

Indian Forest Act, 1927 is the most important act which regulates the transit of

forest produce and fixes the duty leviable on timber and other forest produce.

Besides this, the state governments have also passed various laws which take into

consideration the local resources and conditions. While initial laws were only meant

to prevent degradation of forests, later laws such as the Biological Diversity Act,

2002 have moved towards involving the local communities in the conservation of

the biodiversity4. However, these laws still do not give the local communities

enough rights and powers to decide the fate of local resources and avoid

privatization or other forms of misappropriation.

Forest Produce can be classified into two types based on the laws governing them5:

Nationalized forest products are those products over which the government

exercises direct control. These products are directly procured and sold by the

Government. Such forest products include Tendu leaves, timber, bamboo, etc.

Non - Nationalized forest products such as Mahua fruit and flower, Chironji,

Baheda, Gond, Jamun, Bel, Arjun and Saaja Chhal, Honey, etc. are not under

the direct control of the government. The local community can collect these

products from the forest, use them and/or sell them to registered traders or in

the local markets.

The forest division has made working plans based on the National Forest Policy,

1988 to increase productivity through natural and artificial regeneration, to stop soil

erosion and to conserve soil and water in order to meet the local demands.

1.4. Importance of Timber as fuel wood

Timber is an important resource obtained from the forests especially for the local

communities. It is used to build houses, make equipments, and as fuel wood for

cooking purposes. Tribals are almost completely dependent on fuel wood from

forests for their daily cooking requirements. Teak and Sal are the two important

timber producing trees found in the forests of Mandla.

4 Biodiversity Conservation, Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) Programmes - Ideas for Implementation, UNDP, New Delhi5 Reddy, K. S., Forest Working Plan (West Mandla Forest Division), 1993-94

3

The various uses and the wood used for those purposes are listed below6:

Sagon, Tinsa, Beeja, Dhaman, Dhawda and Haldu wood is used for making

tools used in agriculture. Wood is also used in furniture and for construction

of window frames and doors of the houses.

Timber is also used as fuel wood which is the most demanded part of Forest

Produce. Dhawa, Saaja, Lendia, etc are the varieties used for this purpose.

The use of fuel wood is the most important factor which puts pressure on

Forests.

Bamboo is used in repairing houses, making mats and baskets, etc. There is a

community called ‘Bansod’ whose main job is to make baskets from bamboo

trees. Though this community needs green bamboo but can only get dry

bamboo because of the time taken in transportation of bamboo from one place

to another.

Besides these, trees such as saaja, bija and tinsa are felled to feed the cattle

during summer months when the fodder is scarce.

Timber from some trees is also burnt to produce charcoal which is in turn

used for cooking and heating purposes.

A part of our study was also to look at the demand and supply patterns of fuel wood

in towns of Mandla district. The study would help map the present scenario of fuel

wood consumption in the region and design possible alternatives to reduce the

dependence on fuel wood.

6 Reddy, K. S., Forest Working Plan (West Mandla Forest Division), 1993-94

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2. Our Study

The aim of our study was to understand the various nuances associated with the NTFP

trade in Mandla District. Extensive field work was done during which we had interactions

with numerous villagers, traders, practitioners etc. who were related to NTFPs in some

way or the other. We also tried to identify the various issues plaguing the NTFP sector

and possible ways in which an organization could intervene in order to maximize returns

to the collectors through methods of sustainable harvesting and regeneration. It was

mainly a qualitative study done in the three blocks of Mandla district.

2.1. Objectives

The objectives of our study were as follows:

To assess the dependency of surrounding villages with regards to NTFPs.

To suggest suitable arrangements for collective economic activity on NTFP.

To document value chain of six major NTFPs of the area and suggest points of

intervention, right from stage of collection.

To assess the consumption of fuel wood in some particular places of Mandla and

fluctuation in its prices.

2.2. Scope

The scope of our study was limited to the three project clusters of FES in Mandla

district i.e. Bichhiya, Niwas and Mocha. Various villages under these three blocks

were visited and informal interviews were conducted mostly with villagers who

were into collection of some or all of the NTFPs found in the area. Information

about production and prices of various NTFPs was collected by visiting major

NTFP markets at the village level, block level and district level in the project area.

2.3. Methodology

The first week of our internship was spent in exploratory study of various NTFPs

found in Mandla region on the basis of which six major NTFPs were short listed for

further study. Criteria such as Production Scale, Scope for Intervention,

Contribution to annual income and Government Strictures was used to shortlist the

NTFPs. The information was gathered by visiting a few villages and interacting

with various traders.

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Field work done in the three project clusters done in the next six weeks helped us

identify the various issues associated with each of the six NTFPs. Informal

discussions were conducted with villagers (involved in NTFP collection), local

village traders and block level traders and convenient sampling was used to select

both villagers as well as traders. Various organizations, already working in this

sector, were also visited and interactions with field workers and employees helped

us identify possibilities of intervention in each of the selected NTFPs.

Desktop research was carried out in the last week of the internship to identify

interventions happening in the NTFP sector across various other states like

Chattisgarh and Orissa. Best practices involved and Legal aspects of the NTFP trade

were also learnt during the course of this desktop research.

2.4. Limitations

There were some limitations to our study which are as follows:

Since most of the NTFPs are harvested in the months of March-April, the

information obtained through interaction with different people in the value chain

is based upon their recall and hence figures for production and prices may not be

very accurate.

Most of the information provided is based on primary sources such as our

interactions with village traders and villagers. Since villagers still consider the

NTFP business to be illegal and under the purview of the Forest Department,

they were apprehensive about divulging details about the collection and

processing of NTFPs. Limited information was available from secondary

sources such as the internet, journals, publications, etc.

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3. The NTFP Trade Chain

Any NTFP passes through various intermediaries from its collector to processing industry

and the consumers. Each of these intermediaries has an important role to perform and

charge a commission of 2 – 6% on the value of NTFP traded. The NTFP trade chain in

operation for most of the NTFPs is as shown below:

Fig. 1: The NTFP Trade Chain

a. Collection: The NTFP is collected by villagers from nearby forests. It is then either

sold to local village traders or to the block level traders in weekly village mandis7

7 Mandis are weekly markets that are organized in each village on a rotation basis. The mandi day is looked forward to by everyone as traders from different regions come to the village to sell their products and/ or to purchase commodities from the villagers

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Block Level Traders (Bichchiya, Shehpura, Mandla)

Processing Industries/ Markets

District Level Traders (Jabalpur, Katni, Seoni)

Traders in Cities (Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bombay)

Collectors

Local Village Traders Through mandis or agents

depending on the quantity collected and the prices offered. Some NTFPs such as

Chironji, Chakoda, Aonla, etc require processing before it can be sold in the markets.

Mostly labour intensive manual processing (e.g. filtering, sieving, boiling, drying,

etc.) is done by the villagers at the household level as they neither have the required

financial resources or the scale to get into mechanized processing. Storage of NTFPs

is also very rare except in Mahua which is used by the villagers as food and fodder

throughout the year. Thus, villagers may store small quantities of Mahua or

repurchase it later depending on their consumption and financial position in the dry

season8.

b. The Local Village Traders perform the task of pooling the produce in the village.

Sometimes they may collect produce from 2 – 3 villages. The prices offered by the

village traders are around Rs. 50 to 100 per quintal less than the prices prevailing in

the markets. Transportation, Storage and Packing costs are borne by these traders and

so they are able to earn Rs 25 to 50 per quintal traded.

c. Block Level Traders or Seths, as they are commonly referred to in the local

language, are larger traders who procure the produce from local village traders as well

as directly from villagers. They visit various village mandis or have agents in villages

to purchase the produce. They generally deal in both - agriculture produce as well as

NTFPs. The Block level traders sell their produce to larger traders in cities such as

Umeria, Shahdol, Jabalpur, Nagpur, etc. Since these cities are well connected by rail,

the produce can then be transported to processing industries in Gujarat, Maharashtra,

Delhi, etc. via traders in these cities. Most of the transactions here onwards take place

over the phone. Some products such as honey are directly sold in the local markets

during Melas organized by the government. Some villagers also sell the NTFPs

harvested in the markets directly.

Mahua has a slightly different trade chain from the one shown above. Mahua is only

used in villages for consumption purposes. Hence, the transfer of Mahua takes place

from production areas to deficit areas. Both intra village and inter village trade is

common in the case of Mahua.

The traders usually share a barter relationship with the villagers. The villagers buy

grocery and other items of daily need from these traders in exchange for their

8 Though Mahua is consumed by the villagers throughout the year, they are forced to sell the produce during the season and then repurchase it at higher prices just for the want of money during the dry season (May – June)

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produce. The traders are also an easy source of credit for the villagers during their

hours of need. Credit is available to the villagers at interest rates of up to 10% per

month or 120% per annum! The advance credit system ensures that these traders have

an assured supply of NTFPs during the season when the prices are the lowest. Thus,

collectors are unable to earn better returns on their produce even by performing

simple tasks such as storage and primary processing. Collectors also suffer on account

of faulty weighing systems used by these traders. The weighed quantity is almost

always less than the actual quantity collected.

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4. Designing an Intervention in NTFPs9

NTFPs play an important role in the lives of tribal people. While some like Mahua have

strong religious sentiments associated with them, others like Tendu patta, Chakoda,

Honey, Gond, etc are an important source of additional income for the poor and landless

villagers. Though the amount earned from NTFP collection may not be much (Rs 1000 –

1500 annually), the income becomes critical especially because most of the NTFPs are

harvested in the dry months (March to June) when tribals have little or no income from

other sources. Baighas and Gonds are the two main tribal castes found in the Mandla

District. While the Gonds are known to be involved in the collection of only some NTFPs

like Mahua, Chakoda, Chironji, etc, it is the Baighas who are known for the abilities to

venture deep into jungles to collect Gond, Honey and other rarer NTFPs.

Selection of the right NTFP and the method of intervention is the first critical step. Efforts

at intervening in all the NTFPs at the same time have usually failed as each NTFP has its

own unique collection, processing and marketing issues. Taking each NTFP, one at a

time, will help villagers gain experience as they scale up and reduce losses due to the

learning curve. The intervention, while aiming to improve incomes of villagers, should

also be market and demand driven. However, looking at international markets for this can

fall back on its head as villagers usually have limited knowledge of the factors affecting

international market and the skills required to address them. Establishing links with local

and national industries can be of much help as it would provide the villagers with an

assured demand for their produce. Involving the local village traders and using their

marketing experience can help establish strong trade linkages and help prevent a possible

back lash that interventions in NTFPs have so often faced. Mostly, village traders are

villagers themselves (who may be slightly well off) and our interactions with them

suggests that they may get involved for the betterment of the village especially in NTFPs

such as Gond and Lac which do not have strong market linkages right now. At the same

time, an intervention in NTFPs requires the existing links between collectors and traders

to be broken which is not an easy task. Provision of credit is an important function that

these traders perform and hence the designed intervention should address this problem.

This can probably be done by inculcating a habit of savings amongst the collectors so that

9 Based on ‘Common Mistakes’ prepared by Mr. Sharda Gautam (Disha Cooperative) and our interactions with Dr Bajesh Kumar Rai (Vigyan Ashram), Dr. Pratibha Bhatnagar (SFRI), Dr. Moni Thomas (JNKVV) and various villagers in the project clusters

10

they save atleast a percentage of their income earned from NTFPs for use during their

hours of need.

It is also essential to chose the target population carefully based on the NTFP we

intervene in. An intervention targeting the youths in the village is likely to be more

successful as it is the youth who are more enthusiastic and eager to earn a better income

and work harder for it. Proper encouragement should be given to the selected youths

through training and motivational programs. Our interactions with the villagers brought

out quite interesting and varying responses. While some came up with the idea of

establishing samitis and institutions to help them earn better prices on their own (Jhulup,

Kanharikhurd, etc) others were cynical about the idea and were more interested in

individual benefits than benefits for the village as a whole (Dungaria, Jangaliya, etc.). The

cynicism largely stemmed out of the bad experiences that the villagers have had with

various other interventions and organizations in the past. This highlights the importance

of creating awareness and providing villagers with proper training and guidance in order

to make the intervention successful. Hands on training and exposure visits are likely to be

more successful than instructive and one sided guidance.

The quantities of NTFPs collected have rapidly declined in the last few years due to

unsustainable harvesting and carefree felling of trees. Thus, conservation and

regeneration programs have to go hand in hand with the product intervention. Spreading

awareness about sustainable harvesting techniques and motivating villagers to plant more

trees will not only help maintain the ecological balance of the area but also help them

increase their collection which will in turn lead to higher profits over the years. WHO

(World Health Organization) has published guidelines for GACPs (Good Agricultural and

Collection Practices) for harvesting medicinal plants covering a wide range of collection

activities. The national governments are required to develop country-specific guidelines

for sustainable production of raw material of quality and standardized ingredients.10 These

guidelines would help frame bye laws in any intervention involving NTFPs.

Some of the features of six selected NTFPs such as the product, its collection and

processing, production over the years and scope for intervention are described in the

following sections.

10 Referenced from http://www.iifm.ac.in/ntfp/NTFPGHPs.pdf on 14th December, 2010

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5. Mahua (Madhuca longifolia)

5.1. The Tree and Produce

Mahua is a large deciduous

tree that grows widely under

dry tropical and sub tropical

climatic conditions. The

Mahua tree holds a sacred

space in the lives of tribal

folks. Almost each and

every part of the tree right

from roots, bark, leaves, flowers and fruits are used at different occasions. The

Fig. 2: Mahua tree with Flowers

leaves are good fodder; the bark yields tannin; the wood is put to several different

use; the flowers are edible and yields alcohol; the fruits are eaten and are a rich

source of sugar, vitamin and calcium; seeds produce fatty oils and de-oiled cake can

be used as fertilisers. The tribals have a long standing religious association with the

tree. This is also the main reason why rural households have been given user rights

to particular Mahua trees – either to those growing on their farmlands or to those

growing on common lands and forest areas if no Mahua trees fall on a particular

household’s farm land. These rights are recognised only for the collection of flowers

and are passed on from one generation to another.

The Mahua flowers are the most important product obtained from the tree. This tree

begins to flower at the age of 10 years and continues to do so for about 100 years. A

full grown tree can produce up to 90 kg of flowers in a season that lasts from 20

days to 30 days11. However, the yield is known to alternate between high and low

every year. Lightning and rainfall are other factors that affect the yield of the tree.

The flower has high sugar content and hence, is used for production of alcohol. It is

also used to make sweets and to feed animals in tribal households.

Mahua is generally bartered for daily grocery items, the value of which is much

higher than the actual value of Mahua traded. Mahua consumption at the household

11 http://wiki.encyclopaediaindica.com/~encyclo3/wiki/index.php?title=INDIAN_BUTTER_TREE on 14th December, 2010

12

level also takes place round the year, though not much is stored for the home from

the stock collected.12

5.2. Collection and Processing of Mahua Flowers

The flowers fall down upon ripening in the period of May - June and are collected

by villagers. Some days after flowering, Mahua fruits are collected and the oil

obtained from them is used for cooking purposes. The oil is also used in the

manufacturing of vanaspati ghee. The flowers drop off early in the morning at

around 4 am and almost every individual from the village is involved in the

collection of flowers. The flowers are food for a large variety of animals and birds.

Hence, the villagers have to guard the produce from animals and other people by

collecting the produce early in the morning. The GACP guidelines for Mahua

suggest that the seeds should be harvested once at the mature stage. Branches

should not be cut for collecting seeds and some seeds should be left on the plants to

facilitate further natural regeneration.

Since the tribals have a hand-to-mouth existence, only few of them can go for

storage and processing and sell their produce when the prices reach their peak in the

winters (Jan – Feb). Hence, they have to sell of their produce at cheaper rates and

later purchase the same from traders at a higher price for consumption or for making

wine.

5.3. Production and Prices

Mahua is either sold to the village trader who in turn sells the produce in the nearby

mandi or the villagers directly sell it in the mandi on a weekly basis as one day in

every week is meant for trading of goods in big places surrounded by many small

villages. The difference in prices paid by the village and block trader varies from 50

paise to one rupee. The current price which villagers get during March-April is Rs.

16 – 17 per kg while they purchase the same at Rs 20 – 22 per kg in the month of

November-December. On an average, each household collects around 1 – 1.5

quintal of Mahua during the 15 – 20 days when the tree sheds its flowers in March-

April every year. In Niwas block, most of the Mahua is collected from villages near

12 Radha Thakur and M.Srinu Babu, Engendering the Market with Mahua A community based initiative in Mandla

13

Babaliya and Bakori and sold in Babaliya market on Thursdays. The various

characteristics of the produce are depicted below.

Table 1: Characteristics of Mahua

Product Mahua Scientific Name Madhuca longifoliaParts used Flowers, FruitsBlock identified Niwas

VillagesBabaliya, Bastara, Bastari, Rausar, Jangaliya, Katang Siwni, Mawai Maal

Production 1 – 1.5 quintal/household

Price Rs 14/kg in Mar-Apr

Rs 20-22/kg in Nov-Dec

Wholesale Price Rs 28/kg in Nov-Dec (Mandla)

Markets/Processing Industries

Majorly used to make alcohol in local breweries

Mahua is only consumed in tribal villages for making alcohol or food items with

almost negligible consumption in cities. Thus, trading of Mahua, which may be inter

block, inter district or in rare cases inter state, only takes place from the surplus

production areas to the deficit areas.

5.4. Scope for Intervention

The major challenge in the Mahua trade is to control distress selling by collectors.

Lack of space for storage and finance forces collectors to dispose of their produce at

cheaper rates when the supply is high. Most traders provide credit in advance to

assure their supply of Mahua during the season at cheaper rates. Although the

collectors know that the price of Mahua starts increasing after the rainy season, they

are forced to sell of their produce just for the want of money. Provision of technical

knowhow for proper storage and finance can help collectors store their Mahua for

sale in the winter season when the prices reach their peak.

The quality of Mahua is judged by its colour. Properly dried Mahua is dark red

colour and fetches a better price. Storage of Mahua flowers has to be done carefully

because insects can easily infect it during the rainy season. It is important to dry the

Mahua properly before storage. A drier can be used to bring down the moisture

level to within the desired range (around 12%). Once dried, the Mahua is covered in

14

plastic bags from all sides such that no air is allowed within. Chula leaves are also

kept in between the Mahua in order to prevent it from insect attacks.

5.5. Institutions Involved and Best Practices

Organizations like Udyogini and Ajeevika Pariyojana (MPRLP) are working to

promote storage of Mahua in March-April by forming SHGs in the villages and

providing loan to them so that they can pay the villagers for the Mahua produce at

the time it is delivered and then can sell it at higher margins in Nov – Dec.

These models are based on the idea of micro enterprises wherein rural people are

encouraged to establish their own enterprises. Udyogini is currently working in this

direction through women SHGs and its model can be replicated in other areas. The

value chain works in the following way. Women organized into savings, credit and

enterprise groups (WEGs) sell forest and agricultural commodities individually or

collected from group members to first level upstream enterprise called the village

level service center (VLSC) which is owned and operated by an Udyogini – trained

woman entrepreneur. Here the first level grading and sorting takes place. At this

level, unwanted materials like wooden sticks, dust, etc which comes with Mahua are

removed manually and through sieving. Onward, it goes to the cluster-level trading

centers (CLSCs) owned and part-managed by Udyogini-trained business providers.

Here, a second level grading, sorting and value addition takes place. At this level,

drying of Mahua in sunlight takes place which is necessary to prevent it from

insects before its storage. The change in colour from white to yellow and then to

deep brown indicates that the Mahua is dry now and ready for storage. It is then

stored by forming a wooden platform in a mud container surrounded by plastic bags

on its walls. Mahua. Trading with the outside market happens at this level. The

same chain serves to retail products and services to tribal households. Ancillary

enterprises are an oil processing unit which gets the seeds from the CLSCs and two

processing enterprises (flour) started by local entrepreneurs on their own which are

buying wheat from VLSCs and CLSCs.

Vasundhara, a policy and advocacy group working in the areas surrounding

Baisipalli Wildlife Sanctuary, in Nayagarh Orissa, helped the women establish a

Mahua cooperative that launched processed Mahua jams and jellies for the first time

15

in the country13. With support from Department of Science and Technology (DST)

and technical inputs from experts from Orissa University for Agriculture

Technology (OUAT), the local people learnt the low cost technology for processing

of raw Mahua into products like Jam and Jelly. They have also provided the

collectors with nets that can be spread out below the Mahua tree during the

collection period. This technique helps reduce the effort involve in Mahua flower

collection while also keeping the produce dust free.

13 Referenced from http://www.vasundharaorissa.org/Research%20Reports/Mahua%20The%20Lifeline%20of%20Tribal%20India.pdf accessed on 12th December, 2010

16

6. Chironji (Buchanania lanzan)


Chironji Tree is a medium-sized

deciduous tree, growing to about 50 ft

tall. It bears fruits (commonly called

Char) each containing a single seed,

which is popular as an edible nut,

known as chironji. It is mostly found in

eroded ravine lands. It avoids waterlogged areas, but

Fig. 3: Chironji tree with Flowers

occurs locally in clay soils. It can be identified by the dark grey crocodile bark with

red blaze. A good species for afforesting bare hill slopes. It has tickly leathery

leaves which are broadly oblong, with blunt tip and rounded base. Leaves have 10-

20 pairs of straight, parallel veins. Pyramidal panicles of greenish white flowers

appear in early spring. Fruits ripen from April to May and remain on the tree for

quite a long time. Flowering takes place from January to March.

The Chironji fruits are considered as one of the delicious wild fruits. The seed

kernels are also eaten. The kernels are regarded as substitute for almonds. The bark

yields tannin (up to 13 percent) which is used in tannin industries. The natives also

extract oil for seed and use it as almond oil. According to reference literatures, it is

also good substitute to olive-oil. It is used for coating tablets for delayed action

Medicinal uses: The roots are acrid, astringent, cooling, depurative and

constipating, and are useful in treatment of diarrhoea. Leaves are used in the

treatment of skin diseases. Fruits are used in treating cough and asthma.

6.2. Collection and Processing

Chironji is collected in the months of May and June. The fruit is plucked in bunches

by climbing the tree which is a risky activity. Plucking the tender fruit using a stick

can spoil the fruit and hence is not practiced. A farmer has entire ownership of the

Chironji trees growing in his farms. However there is no fixed ownership of the

Chironji trees growing in forests and on common lands. Each tree can produce up to

10 to 15 Kg of Chironji fruit in a season. Once the fruit is plucked, it is kept in a

closed mud container for about a week for it to ripen completely. The flesh of the

17

ripened fruit is then either eaten directly or is crushed by stamping which leaves the

seed with a hard coat around it behind. It is ground in a traditional crusher to

remove the kernel which is then sold to traders in the market. The traditional

decortification process is quite cumbersome and it takes almost a month for a

collector to sell the produce after collection of the fruit.

Unsustainable harvesting techniques have reduced the number of Chironji trees in

Mandla District. The collectors cut entire branches in order to reduce their effort in

plucking the fruits. Moreover, they do not leave any fruits for regeneration. Such

destructive practices and unfixed ownership of trees growing in forests and on

common lands have reduced the amount of Chironji collected in Niwas over the

years.

The GACP guidelines for Chironji suggest that mature fruit kernels can be collected

when black in colour. Bamboo stick will be used for shaking branches. Fruits should

be collected after April and green collection should be avoided. Atleast one – third

of the fruits should be left for wild animals and regeneration.


Chironji is mostly collected in villages such as Bastra, Bastari, Jangaliya, Lohari,

Mohgaon and Mannheri villages of Niwas block and some villages in the Babheliya

cluster with negligible presence in other parts. The fruit fetches a much lower price

for the collectors than the kernel and hence, collectors usually grind the seed to

obtain the kernel. 5 Kg of fruit can yield almost 1 Kg of Chironji. Each tree can

produce 2 - 3 Kg of Chironji which is sold for a price of around Rs 100 – 125 per

Kg to the village traders. Thus, a typical farmer owning 5 trees can earn about Rs

1500 by selling Chironji every year. Prices for Chironji in the National Market were

around Rs 400 – 425 per Kg. According to the traders, the amount of Chironji

traded in the markets has reduced drastically over the last few years and last year

only 4 – 5 quintals was traded in the Babheliya market. Similar quantities were

traded by traders in the Niwas market as well. The various characteristics of the

produce are depicted in the table below:

18

Table 2: Characteristics of Chironji

Product Chironji Scientific Name Buchanania LanzanParts used Seed Kernel

Block identified Niwas Villages Jangaliya, Lohari, Bastra, Bastri, Production 8 – 10 Quintals

Price Rs 100 – 125/kg (May – June)

Wholesale Price Rs 400 – 450 /kg (Raipur) Markets/Processing Industries

Cold storages in Kanpur;Most of it is consumed locally

Almost 60% of the Chironji collected in Madhya Pradesh is sent to Kanpur where

Cold Storages are located. The prices for Chironji are also decided by the traders in

Kanpur. Of the rest, almost 20% is sent to Delhi and the rest to Mumbai and other

cities. However, almost all of the Chironji collected in Niwas area is sold to small

traders, sweet meat shops, etc in Jabalpur directly.


There is a huge demand for Chironji in big cities like Jabalpur and Raipur. In fact,

most of the Chironji procured by traders in Niwas is directly bought by distributors

and sweet shops in Jabalpur. Even simple pooling would help villagers earn better

returns as the price difference between the villages and cities is huge.

Chironji decortication machines are also available which can reduce the human

effort involved in extraction of Chironji seeds considerably. However the quantity

of Chironji collected in the area currently is too low to justify any investment in

technology.


Though none of the organizations in Mandla district have established a Chironji

processing plant, Disha Cooperative in Mayurbhanj, Orissa has plans to start

operations in its Chironji processing plant within the next one year.

19

7. Chakoda (Cassia tora)


Chakoda or Charota is the most commonly found NTFP in the Mandla region. It is

equally abundant in almost all areas of the

district and is collected in huge quantities

by the villagers as well. Chakoda is an

Ayurvedic herb and is also used extensively

in Chinese medicine. It grows in hot, wet,

tropical climates both wild and

commercially. This is an upright plant with compound leaves in groupings

Fig. 4: The Chakoda Plant

of six. It bears 20-cm pods which contain many cylindrical seeds. It can be used as a

substitute for coffee. Cassia Powder is also used in making food for pets, natural

food additives, air freshener in the form of gels and for healing skin diseases like

ring worm. Along with above, Cassia Tora powder has other applications especially

in food industries as it has an excellent gelling property. It is also used for

emulsification, foam stabilization and for the purpose of moisture retention. The

seeds are collected from the beans when the beans ripen in November – December

every year.


Chakoda is generally collected in the months of November and December. Since

this is also the time when villagers are busy with their agricultural harvesting,

collection of Chakoda takes a back seat. It is only done by children who do not play

a role in the agricultural harvesting or by adults when they are free. Since Chakoda

is freely available all over the region, premature harvesting is very rare.

The Chakoda plant is cut and bundled in heaps which are then dried in the sun.

Once dry, the seeds are removed from the beans either by beating them with a stick

or spreading them out on the road so that the beans are crushed by moving vehicles

and the seeds are removed. The seeds are then collected and simple sieving is done

to get rid of the leaves, sticks, etc. The cleaned seeds are directly sold off in the

market.

20

For Chakoda, the GACP guidelines suggest that the whole plant can be harvested

when it turns golden in colour. Dry pods should be beaten up by bamboo stick on

ground and a few mature (un-harvested) plants should be left on the ground.


Production depends on rainfall to a large extent. Prices vary from Rs 1200 per

quintal to Rs 700 per quintal based on production. Prices are expected to be around

Rs 700 – 800 per quintal this year. A local village trader is able to collect around 40

– 50 quintals of Chakoda every year. He gets Rs 550 – 800 per quintal for the

produce. The traders estimate that annual trading of Chakoda is worth Rs 4 – 5

Crore in Mandla District alone. The various characteristics of the produce are

depicted below:

Table 3: Characteristics of Chakoda

Product Chakoda Scientific Name Cassia ToraParts used Seeds

Block identified Bichhiya

VillagesSarhi, Taktoua, Chandiya, Indravan, Khatola, Jogisodha, Jhulup, etc

Production 600 tonnes in Bichchiya

Price Rs 7/kg

Wholesale Price Rs 8/kg (Raipur)

Markets/Processing Industries

Surendranagar, Dahod, Vatwa (in Gujarat) and Mumbai;

The major industries for Chakoda processing are located in Surendranagar, Vatva

and Dahod in Gujarat and Mumbai where they are used in the manufacturing of

seed gels, fodder for animals, etc. Most of these products are exported to European

countries.


Since the technology required for Chakoda processing and manufacturing products

is pretty complex, scope for forward integration is limited. Pooling may help

collectors gain a better price and increase their bargaining power. Storage of

Chakoda does not require much effort and can be easily done to earn a higher

remuneration. However, the margins for trade in Chakoda are very low.

21


No organizations are currently working in pooling or processing of Chakoda.

Possibilities of setting up cottage industries for making Chakoda powder and seed

gels is being explored by us.

22

8. Lac

8.1. The Trees and Produce

Lac can be found on Kosum (Schleichera oleosa),

Palash (Butea monosperma) and Ber (Zizyphus

spp) trees. However, since Ber trees have thorns on

them, collection of Lac becomes difficult and

hence is not practiced. Lac collected from Kosum

trees is considered to be of much better quality and

sold at almost double the price of that collected

Fig. 5: Lac on Palash tree

from Palash trees. Unfortunately, the number of Kosum trees in the forests of

Mandla has reduced considerably due to rapid felling while Palash trees are still

present in large numbers. Culturing and extraction of Lac on Palash trees is pretty

viable and can be promoted in villages.

For cultivating Lac, two types of host trees are used, perennial trees and annual

bushes. They are infested with Lac insects Laccifer lacca (Kerr) and left

undisturbed. Thousands of Lac insects colonise branches of the trees and secrete the

resinous pigment. After five to six months Lac-bearing branches are cut, and broods

are tied to new host trees. The harvested trees are left for one to two years so that

they grow new branches.

In October, one crop of broods is introduced on larger trees and the Lac is harvested

in April or May the next year. If the plants are small, they are left to be infested in

June and harvested in October. Each Lac crop costs the farmers about one week of

work14. Lac encrusted on branches or twigs of trees is known as stick Lac. Initial

preparation involves scraping from the branch/ twigs and producing scraped Lac.

The scraped Lac is then crushed and sieved to grains. It is then washed with water,

soda etc, dried in a natural atmosphere, manually cleaned to produce seed Lac that

is ready for export and/ or further processing into shellac through heat treatment or

solvent extraction.

Lac is widely used in the ammunitions industry and in manufacturing of a large

number of products like Pharmaceuticals, Paints, Adhesive, Cosmetics, Ayurvedic

14 Referenced from http://www.downtoearth.org.in/node/2251 visited on 08/12/2010

23

Preparation, Wood Polishes, Insulating Electrical Conductors, Sealing Wax & Paper

Varnish.


Lac is collected after six months of the exposure of the trees to Lac insects. When

these insects produce Lac on the branches of the trees, it is collected manually and

some of the insects are put on the branches of other trees so that they are able to

produce Lac in another six months. Traditionally, Lac is scrapped from the sticks

with the help of a knife and then it is sent to the factories as such without any

grading for processing into shellac, bleached Lac, dewaxed or decolorized Lac.

The process is very laborious, time consuming and lot of impurities such as sand,

dirt, stick and fine wood particles also get mixed with the scrapped Lac

encrustations. On an average, a person can scrap about 10 kg of Lac in a day,

manually. Separation of the impurities is carried out by additional unit operations

such as sieving and winnowing, which increase the processing cost. The scrapped

Lac encrustations are non-uniform in size and require further crushing /grinding in

the factories to obtain the desired size of raw Lac suitable for making different

products.


Lac sells at different prices in the mandi based on the tree from which it is obtained.

It is usually collected twice in a year – once during October, November and once

during June, July. Once collected, simple cleaning is done to get rid of twigs, leaves

and other unwanted matter. The clean Lac is then sold in the market.

A Palash tree can produce 4 – 6 Kg of Lac every 6 months which can then be sold at

about Rs 40 – 60 per Kg. A collector can earn Rs 400 – 500 from each Palash tree

every year. On the other hand, a collector can earn almost Rs 70 – 80 per Kg for Lac

obtained from Kosum trees.

Lac cultivation in India has steadily declined over the years due to large scale

felling of trees and Lac insects being sensitive to pest attacks. The production and

export of Lac over the last few years are given in the table below15:

Table 4: Production and export of stick Lac from India

15 Report of the Study on Lac Sub Sector, Chhattisgarh State Institute of Rural Development

24

Stick Lac Export

Decade Average

production (M.T.)

Highest production

(M.T.)

Corresponding year

Lowest production

(M.T.)

Corresponding year

Quantity (M.T.)

Value (In Rs.

Million) 1931 - 1940 43731 43800 1936-37 32692 1931-32 31414 11.981941 - 1950 43000 65000 1946-47 30863 1948-49 25519 15.781951 - 1960 43000 49000 1956-57 24407 1953-54 29300 18.61961 - 1970 33000 38700 1967-68 17651 1964-65 17244 14.791971 - 1980 20000 23869 1973-74 9119 1978-79 8684 111.321981 - 1990 16200 20300 1986-87 11650 1983-84 6626 221.81991 - 2000 20000 25500 1997-98 14785 1990-91 7561 774.412001 - 2006 19500 21500 2001-02 17500 2002-03 6809 1131.09

Though the Bichchiya block has a huge number of Palash trees, Lac cultivation is

not practiced as the process of collection of Lac from the wild is difficult and time

consuming. Though the ammunition industry in Khamariya faces a huge shortfall in

their Lac requirement, Lac cultivation has not yet been promoted in the region.

Balarampur in West Bengal is the major trading centre where most of the Lac

processing and exports take place from. The various characteristics of the produce

are shown in the table below.

Table 5: Characteristics of Lac

Product LacName of Trees Palash (Butea monosperma)Parts used Insect excretion on branches

Block identified Bichhiya

VillagesJhulup, Kanhari Khurd, Kanhari Kala, Muwala Maal

Production Negligible though large number of trees found

Price Rs 60 – 75/kg

Wholesale Price Rs 90 – 100/kg (W.B.) Markets/Processing Industries

Balarampur (W.B.), Khamariya, Umariya,


Lac cultivation on Palash trees can be promoted in a huge way in Niwas and

Bichchiya blocks. Individuals or groups of villagers owning more than hundred

trees can be targeted in order to attain a viable scale of operation. Another option

could be to form SHGs and take Palash trees on lease from the Joint Forest

25

Management (JFM) Committee for Lac cultivation. Financial implications and

modalities of such an intervention are given in Section 13 below.


An organization called Centre for Rural Biotechnology is working on Palash Lac

production on a very small scale. They harvest the Lac manually and after purifying

it, supply it to the Ammunition factory in Khamariya.

A Lac Cooperative has also been set up in Annupur, MP. The cooperative has taken

up Palash plantation on a large scale which is then used for harvesting Lac and other

important produce. Dr. Moni Thomas (Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vidhyalaya) is an

expert in Lac cultivation and processing who has done extensive work in this field.

Details about the intervention are beyond the scope of this report.

26

9. Gond (Gums)

9.1. The Trees and Produce

Gums are plant exudations, partly as a

natural phenomenon (as part of the

normal metabolism of plants) and partly

as a result of injury to the bark or stem

(due to fungal or bacterial attack).

Mostly gums are exuded by the stem,

only a few gums are obtained from

roots, leaves and other parts of the

plant. Gums are primarily formed by

the disintegration of internal plant

tissue through a process known as

gummosis. Gums extracted from Kullu (Sterculia urens) and Salai (Boswellia

serrata) trees are valuable forest

Fig. 6: The Dhaawa tree

produce. In addition gum from Axle Wood tree or Dhaawa (Anogeissus latifolia),

Cutch tree or Khair (Acacia Catechu) and Indian gum arabic tree or Babool (Acacia

nilotica) are also extracted and are economically important.

Out of these Kullu gum is the most precious and is collected in very small

quantities. Salai gum is also of good quality while Dhaawa gum is considered to be

of bad quality and sold at cheaper rates. Our study focussed on Salai and Dhaawa

gums because these trees are still found in the forests of Mandla district. The colour

of the gum varies from whitish yellow to amber. This variation depends on

following factors like storage time, duration it has remained on tree before being

picked and the tear to the bark.16

The gum obtained is directly sent to processing industries where it is sorted and

impurities are removed. Cleaning, grinding, sizing and blending is done next to

obtain uniform grades of Gum. Almost all of the gum in India is directly exported

either in lump form or powder and no secondary processing takes place in India.

During the process of particle breakdown, impurities are removed from the gum by

16 http://www.alibaba.com/product-free/108404879/GUM_GHATTI_INDIAN_GUM_Dhawa.html referenced on 12th December, 2010

27

sifting, aspiration and density table separation. Powdered Gum is light tan in colour

and has bland taste and practically no odour.

Following are some of the applications of Gum:

As an emulsifier and stabilizer in beverages and butter containing table

syrups.

As a flavour fixative for specific applications.

Used in the preparation of powdered, stable, oil-soluble vitamins.

As a binder in long-fibered light weight papers.

As an emulsifier of petroleum and non petroleum waxes to form liquid and

wax paste emulsions.


Gums are generally collected by slitting the bark of the tree with an axe and tying a

vessel below it. The gum oozes out of the slit and gets collected in the vessel over

time. This naturally obtained gum may contain a lot of impurities in the form of

wood pieces, dust, etc which is either removed by hand or sold off directly in the

market. This slitting technique may be injurious to the tree and may even lead to its

death. Such practices have resulted in the death of a large number of trees in the past

which led to the banning of gum extraction from Kullu and Salai trees by the

Madhya Pradesh Government in 1982 and 1992 respectively. These bans have been

lifted for some districts since 1995.17

Since the quantity of gum obtained from each tree is very less, collectors usually

mix the gums obtained from different trees.


The amount of gum collected in this area has decreased considerably over the last

few years. According to the villagers, not all Saaje, Salai and Dhaawa trees produce

gum and the numbers of gum producing trees are rapidly decreasing. The prices of

gum vary quite drastically according to the quality. Pure white Kullu gum can fetch

up to Rs 170 – 180 per Kg while impure gum can even fetch negligible prices. The

practice of mixing gums obtained from different trees results in much lower price

realisation for the collectors. The following are the characteristics of the produce:17 Avinash Upadhyay, Gums and Resins NTFP Unexplored

28

Table 6: Characteristics of Gums

Product Gond (Gums)

Name of TreesKullu (Sterculia urens), Salai (Boswellia serrata), Dhaawa (Anogeissus latifolia)

Parts used Exudations from bark

Block identified Mocha

VillagesKapot Bahra, Paudi, Dungaria, Bagaspur, Changul, Tilri , Chanai

Production 3 - 4 quintal

Price Rs 35 – 40 /kg for Dhaawa gum

Wholesale Price Rs 100/kg (Raipur) Markets/Processing Industries

90% is exported; rest is locally consumed


Simple sorting and grading of gums collected from different trees can help in better

price realisation for the collectors. Also, cases of adulteration are quite widespread

and hence, quality is an important parameter that decides the prices of gums. Good

quality gums can attract up to double the prices of impure and bad quality gums.

Moreover, there is a need to establish stronger market linkages in order to ensure

that collectors get better prices. Our interactions with village traders revealed that

gums were only traded in larger markets such as Jabalpur and Raipur and it was not

possible for them to transport the gum from the villages to these markets. Spreading

awareness about the collection of gums and establishment of market linkages could

result in improvement of quantity of gums collected especially in the Mocha region

and villages surrounding Tatri. SFRI is in the process of designing a training

programme for sustainable harvesting of gums and may be able to provide training

to interested villagers from next year.


Since the quantity of Gum collected in the region has reduced drastically, none of

the organizations working in the area are looking to intervene in gum collection or

trading in the near future.

29

10.Shahad (Honey)

10.1. The Produce

Honey is a sweet food made by bees using nectar from flowers. The variety

produced by honey bees (the genus Apis) is the one most commonly referred to and

is the type of honey collected by beekeepers and consumed by humans. Honey

produced by other bees and insects has distinctly different properties. Honey has a

long history of human consumption and is used in various foods and beverages as a

sweetener and flavouring. The main uses of honey are in cooking, baking, as a

spread on bread, and as an addition to various beverages such as tea and as a

sweetener in some commercial beverages. It also has a role in religion and

symbolism. Flavours of honey vary based on the nectar source, and various types

and grades of honey are available. It is also used in various medicinal traditions to

treat ailments. Honey along with lemon in lukewarm water is used to reduce extra

fat from the body. Some people use honey as part of their daily diet. It can be taken

in plain form, with water and with milk. People purchase honey in two forms:

Branded and Unbranded (Loose). Branded honey is purchased by urban consumers

mainly and the main existing brand is Dabur along with some brands restricted to

different regions of the country.

Honey is collected from wild beehives made by bees in the dense forests of Kanha

National Park. It has been found that only one – fourth of the beehive contains

honey. Hence, it is unnecessary to destroy the entire beehive to collect honey.

Leaving behind the dry part of the beehive can ensure that the bees don’t desert the

beehive and regeneration of honey takes place every one and a half to two months.


Villagers usually collect honey by breaking or burning entire beehives. The honey is

then squeezed out of the honey comb and collected in beer bottles (750 ml). A

honey comb made by smaller bees (Indian hive bee/Asian bee or Apis cerana

indica) can produce 3 - 4 bottles of honey while that made from bigger bees (Rock

bee or Apis dorsata) can produce up to 8 bottles of honey. Once collected, simple

filtering is done to remove impurities and unwanted matter from the honey which is

then bought by traders.

30

Traditionally, wild honey is collected by villagers using smoke to make bees desert

the beehives and beehives are then cut to obtain honey from them. After that, honey

is purified to remove wax and other impurities using a sieve. It is then filled in 750

ml bottles of beer and sold in the village itself or to the village or mandi trader.


The current price which the villagers are getting now – a – days for one bottle of

honey is Rs. 60-70. The practice of collecting honey by breaking or burning entire

beehives can kill most of the bees and destroys their eggs as well. Such destructive

practices have reduced the amount of honey collected from the forests in and around

Bichchiya considerably. Moreover, villagers have been barred from entering the

National Park where most of the honey combs are now found.The various

characteristics of the produce are depicted below.

Table 7: Characteristics of Shahad

Product Shahad (Honey)Block identified Mocha

Villages Kapot Bahra, Khatiya, Manegaon Production 50 – 100 Kg

Price Rs 60-70/750ml

Wholesale Price Rs 130/kg (Ghughri) Markets/Processing Industries

Ghughri; Is mostly consumed locally


Due to the current practice of using smoke for harvesting, honeybees desert their

home permanently and regeneration of honey doesn’t take place. The villagers can

be trained to cut only that part of the beehive which is necessary and uniforms can

be provided to them so that they don’t have to use smoke for harvesting.


WWF and Centre for Advanced Research and Development (CARD) are working

towards sustainable harvesting of honey. Both the organizations have provided

training and uniforms to villagers so that honey can be harvested sustainably.

Besides, the reducing quantity of honey collected in villages, the inhibitions

amongst villagers about honey collection being unsafe is the major hurdle they face.

31

These inhibitions are mainly due to unfortunate incidents like death of an individual

while collecting honey from a tree in the village or a nearby village. CARD gets

most of its honey from nearby villages of Mawai. It then processes the honey

provided by the villagers in its own mills and also markets it under the brand name

of ‘Aranyak’ through government outlets.

32

11.A Pilot Intervention in Chironji

11.1. Introduction

The current method adopted for removing Chironji kernels from the seed using

manual decorticators is quite labour intensive and time consuming. According to a

collector it takes almost a month for him to sell the Chironji kernels obtained after

ripening, drying and crushing of the

Chironji fruit and seed. There is a scope for

introduction of technology here to reduce

the amount of labour required in the

process. Both manual and automatic

Chironji seed decorticators are available for

installation. However, since the quantities

of Chironji collected in the villages are too

low, making investments in establishing an

enterprise of Chironji collectors is not

advised. Moreover, since villagers already

decorticate the seeds in a traditional

grinding stone and don’t sell the fruits

directly, there is no substantial value

addition except for the savings in labour.

Pooling of Chironji might be much more

beneficial as the rates in cities like Jabalpur and Raipur were found to be almost 4

times of the rates prevailing in the villages. There is a huge demand for Chironji for

household consumption and in sweet shops in these towns which can be tapped in

order to ensure proper remuneration for the collectors.

11.2. The Technology and Financial Requirements

The calculations done for the decortications machine developed by Madhya Pradesh

Vigyan Sabha, Bhopal (Mr. Ajay Kumar Khare) clearly shows that the proposition

would be unviable for the expected quantity of 5 quintals. The calculations are done

based on the analysis done by Disha Cooperative in Mayurbhanj, Orissa.

33

SCALE OF OPERATIONSOur initial interactions with villagers in various villages in the Niwas block initially revealed that almost 5 – 7 quintals of Chironji is collected in every village every year. However triangulation by interaction with employees of Udyogini (an NGO working in the region) and traders in Niwas and Babheliya revealed that the quantity of Chironji traded in the region is very low. In fact, only 4 – 5 Quintals of Chironji were traded in Babheliya and Niwas markets last year. Thus, introducing machines to process 4 – 5 quintals of Chironji would be unviable. (Financial analysis shown below)

Table 8: Financial Analysis for establishing Chironji decortications plant

Feature Description

Developer Madhya Pradesh Vigyan Sabha, Bhopal (Mr. Ajay Kumar Khare)

Motor 3HP (Crompton & Greaves )

Capacity 200 – 300 Kg/Eight hours Yield 18-22%

Machine Cost (including transportation)

Rs 1 lakh

Packaging Machine Cost Rs 30 thousand

Total Variable Costs (Storage, Labor, etc.)

Rs 22 per Kg

Total Costs* Rs 1.5 lakh

Opportunity Savings (Labor)*

Rs 1.25 lakh

Breakeven Quantity Around 7 Quintals

As the table above shows, the total cost of machinery, labour, electricity etc.

required to process Chironji is more than the savings incurred as a result of saving

on Labour and time (Assuming NREGA wage rates).

The costs incurred in simple pooling would only amount to the total variable costs

indicated above i.e. Rs 22 per Kg which is negligible as compared to the price

difference of Rs 250 – 300 per Kg between prices in cities like Jabalpur and those in

villages.

11.3. Legal Aspects of the Intervention

Pooling of Chironji can be done by forming SHG s at the village level which would

require minimum legal obligations.

34

12.A Pilot Intervention in Mahua

12.1. Introduction

The sale of Mahua when its supply is high in the market (March-April) and its

repurchase in December by the villagers can be stopped by forming self help groups

and providing loans to them so that it can be sold later at a higher price. The group

can collect Mahua from its members as well as purchase it from the villagers at the

going market rate and store it with the assistance of FES. The storage is done in

June after drying up the Mahua in May. For its storage, Mahua requires an air tight

place which can be made through a mud container with its inner walls surrounded

by polythene. The polythene is also used to close the mouth of the container. In this

manner, it is not attacked by various insects and atmospheric conditions like

moisture and air. Mahua can then be taken out at the end of November and sold at a

higher price. In this way, each member of a ten member group will earn around Rs

1400.

A new initiative of using nets to collect Mahua is also proposed. This method of

collection would reduce the drudgery involved in Mahua collection and also reduce

the amount of impurities (dirt, twigs, etc) present, thus helping villagers get a better

price.

12.2. Financial Requirements

The financial requirements for this intervention would not be very high. An amount

of Rs 60 thousand would be sufficient which can vary depending upon Mahua

production in different villages (see profit and loss account). The analysis is done on

the basis of an actual case study of an SHG of 10 members in Chappri, Mocha. The

members of the group were able to procure 30 quintals of Mahua during the season

(May – June) at a cost of Rs 18 per Kg. The Mahua was stored till November and

the costs incurred in storage are shown. However, around 2 Quintals of Mahua were

lost due to spoilage and drying. Hence, only 28 quintals were sold in the market for

a price of Rs 18 per Kg. The opportunity cost of labour would be around Rs 750

(Rs 25 per quintal) which is not included in financial analysis.

35

Table 9: Profit and Loss statement for Mahua pooling and storage

Proposed Profit and Loss Statement for Mahua

(all figures in Rupees) Sales 60000COGS 43400Gross Margin 16600Operating Costs Storage

Polythene Bags 420 Anti termite powder 40 460 Transportation 1800 2260 Net Margin 14340

The table below shows the cost benefit analysis of using nets for Mahua collection

as against the traditional system of picking it up from the ground. It is assumed that

each household owns two trees which produce 1.5 Quintals of Mahua in a year.

Thus the total benefit to a household could be Rs 312.5 or almost Rs 2 per quintal.

Table 10: Cost – Benefit Analysis for using nets for Mahua Collection

Cost - Benefit Analysis for using Nets (in Rs.)Cost of Nets 100Increased Price per kg for Mahua 0.25Benefit due to increased price 37.5Opportunity Saving of Mahua collection 375Total Benefit 412.5Total cost 100Net Benefit 312.5


Despite being a freely tradeable item, 2 per cent Mandi Tax is imposed on Mahua,

even though it is hardly sold in Mandis which are far from the villages, and so the

collectors are forced to sell it to the local traders and grocery shops. Further, a 12

per cent sales tax is imposed on Mahua within MP, while the interstate

transportation tax is 3 per cent. Besides this 4% VAT and 14% tax on finished

product has to be paid. This is irrespective of whether the enterprise is at the SHG

level or a larger trader level. Although transit passes for Mahua are not required in

36

Madhya Pradesh, they are required in the neighbouring states and hence, free trade

may not always be possible. Trade restrictions in terms of the Excise Act, restriction

of 5 litres of maximum storage of Mahua liquor per family have been removed by

the state government.

37

13.A Pilot Intervention in Lac

13.1. Introduction

Lac cultivation can be promoted on the Palash trees which are found in huge

numbers in Niwas and Bichchiya blocks. However, since the quantity of Lac

obtained from each Palash tree is quite insignificant, Lac cultivation needs to be

done on atleast 100 trees at a time. A group of 10 – 12 collectors can be formed at

the village level who would own the Palash trees. This would ensure that significant

quantities are collected by the group. Another option available is to take up Palash

trees on lease from the Joint Forest Management (JFM) Committee which is

responsible for the care and upkeep of forests in the village.

The collectors need to be provided with the necessary equipments and brood Lac

initially. Brood Lac is the mature stick Lac with live female insects ready to lay

eggs within the encrustations. Once the eggs hatch, the larvae have a crawling

period of six to seven days during which they have to be transferred to a new

branch. On – field training for successful breeding of Lac can be provided to

interested villagers through demonstrations and exposure visits to nearby places like

Seedhi and Annupur where villagers have been cultivating Lac on similar models.

The manual process of scrapping Lac from the branches using secateurs is a time

consuming and cumbersome process. Machines have been developed by CIPHET,

Ludhiana to reduce the labour required. The machine known as Lac scrapping

machine is suitable for scrapping of Lac encrustations, faster than traditional manual

process, and combined Lac scrapper cum grader (20 and 50 kg capacity per hour) is

suitable for production of graded raw Lac at individual Lac grower’s level.

A report prepared by the Department for International Development, India for the

Madhya Pradesh Rural Livelihood Project mentions in detail the steps to be

followed for designing an intervention in Lac (Enterplan, June 2006). The report

does not recommend promotion of small scale producer processing of Lac at the

village level because the working capital requirements are high while the margins

are low. Moreover inconsistent quality Lac produced by small scale machines is

sold at much lower prices.

Lac is used in the manufacturing of a variety of products like nail polish, lipstick,

aeroplane paints, ammunition, etc. Most of the processing industries are located in

38

Balrampur, West Bengal. Traders in Balrampur can directly be contacted to

purchase the Lac produced.

13.2. Financial Requirements

The report by MPRLP mentions in detail the costs incurred in inputs, training and

marketing of Lac by village level institutions. Specifically, the costs incurred on

brood Lac and other inputs required for Lac cultivation on 10 trees are shown

below:

Table 11: Production Costs for Lac cultivation on 10 Palash trees

Inputs Quantity Cost

Brood Lac @1kg/tree 10kg@Rs65/kg Rs 650 Nylon pouch @10/tree [email protected] Rs 170 Secateurs 2 nos. Rs250 Rs 500 Twine(sutli) 1kg Rs20/kg Rs 20 Total Rs1340

The expected production of Lac from 20 trees taking a conservative estimate of

yields between 60 to 80 % is shown below:

Table 12: Expected returns from 20 Palash trees

Baisakhi (October Harvest)

Katki (May/ June Harvest)

Scraped lac @Rs80/kg 40kg (Rs.3200) @4kg/tree

60kg (Rs.4800) @6kg/tree

OR

Scraped lac @Rs80/kg 30kg (Rs.2400)@ 3kg/tree PLUS

Brood lac @Rs65/kg 120kg (Rs.7800) @12kg/tree

30kg (Rs.1950) @3kg/tree

These tables show that a yearly investment Rs 1990 in Lac cultivation gives a yearly

yield of Rs 7410 in the first year and in subsequent years (based on 2006 rates).


Promotion of Lac production in MP has been under MP Chief Minister’s Fellow

programme since 2002. Lac cultivation has been promoted under various

programmes by the Department of Rural Development, GoMP and MP Minor

39

Forest Produce (Trade and Development) Co-operative Federation limited and other

additional programmes like the Integrated Tribal Development Programme, Madhya

Pradesh Rural Livelihood Project, Rajiv Gandhi Watershed Development Mission,

etc. The programme is now being mentored by the Development Commissioner,

RDD and the Managing Director, MP MFP. Thus, various Govt. agencies can be

contacted and their guidance sought in order to make the intervention successful.

40

14.Fuel wood Study

14.1. Introduction

Fuel wood is used in households, restaurants, tea stalls, schools etc. for heating and

cooking purposes. It is cheaper than commercial LPG which is the main reason for

its widespread use in restaurants and in tea stalls. Schools implementing the mid –

day meal scheme are forced to use fuel wood instead of LPG because they are not

given enough subsidies. According to the State Forest Policy (2005), villagers living

within five kilometre radius of the forest borders have been granted permission to

bring head loads of fallen dry fuel wood for their own consumption18. Only broken

branches and twigs can be used as fuel wood and that too, cannot be sold to

commercial establishments. However, improper implementation and regulation of

such laws have created a huge market for fuel wood in towns like Bichchiya and

Mocha. In fact, according to our estimate, 5000 – 6000 Kg of wood is burnt every

day in restaurants and tea stalls in Bichchiya.19

The aim of our study was to understand the status of demand and supply of fuel

wood for commercial establishments (restaurants and tea stalls) in these two towns.

We also tried to analyze the seasonal variations in prices for fuel wood and the

underlying reasons for these variations. Since charcoal forms a close substitute for

fuel wood and is mostly used by small tea stalls, some time was also devoted to

understand the market conditions for charcoal.

14.2. The Study

The fuel wood study was conducted in two clusters i.e. Bichhiya and Mocha. The

study was conducted by tracking fuel wood supply routes through which fuel wood

was supplied to the towns early every morning. The market dynamics

(determination of prices) in play were observed and informal interactions with

dhaba and tea stall owners were carried out to assess the consumption at a particular

place. Interactions with villagers supplying fuel wood were also done to assess the

demand and supply patterns and fluctuations in prices in different seasons.

However, reluctance of villagers to reveal the real rates and quantity of fuel wood

supplied proved to be a major limitation for our study since villagers know that fuel

wood trading is illegal and have been harassed by police officials in the past.

18 Referenced from http://www.mpinfo.org/mpinfonew/english/cd/040405.asp on 12th December, 201019 Calculated assuming a wood to charcoal conversion ratio of 10:1

41

Moreover fluctuations in prices and quantities supplied are mostly based on the

opinions of dhaba owners.

14.3. Supply Patterns

Bichchiya is a market town with many small and big restaurants and tea stalls

consuming up to 90 gatthas20 of fuel wood every day. Fuel wood and charcoal is

supplied to these every morning from the nearby villages such as Burra Tola,

Bhanpur, Kanharikala, Mawalamal, Gitti Tola, Banjari, Katanga, Deelwada, Shari,

etc. Generally women from these villages bring head loads of fuel wood early in the

morning every day in huge numbers. The supply of fuel wood is higher on the

weekly market day i.e. Friday. An increase of almost 50% was observed in the

supply of fuel wood on Fridays (97 gatthas) as against that on other days (64

gatthas). Each gattha weighs around 35 – 40 Kg. Charcoal is also brought along by

these villagers in sacks weighing around 50 Kg.

The supply of fuel wood is quite unorganised in Mocha as compared to Bichchiya.

Most of the fuel wood is supplied as and when demanded by the resorts and dhaba

owners. Khatiya and Manegaon are the two main villages where fuel wood comes

from. The villagers here do not have a fixed routine of bringing fuel wood to the

market every morning. Thus the fuel wood market in Mocha is demand driven while

that in Bichchiya is supply driven. The size of a gattha in Mocha is also much

smaller and weighs around 20 – 25 Kg. The use of charcoal in Mocha was not

observed and may be considered to be negligible.

14.4. Demand Patterns

The demand pattern for fuel wood in the two towns is quite distinct from each other.

In Bichchiya, fuel wood is used to a large extent by dhabbas, restaurants and snack

shops for cooking purposes. The town has 8 sweets and snacks shops which require

5 - 6 gatthas of fuel wood every day on an average. Three dhabas (Rajput

Bhojanalay, Madhuvan Dhabba and Annapoorna Dhabba) cater to a larger customer

base (more than 100 customers every day) and hence require up to 15 gatthas of

fuel wood. The demand for fuel wood in these dhabas remains almost constant right

throughout the year except during the festive seasons when the demand for sweets

20 A gatta or a head load is a commonly used measure for quantity of fuel wood. Each gatta weighs around 35 – 40 Kg though there may be large variations.

42

and snacks shoots up. The demand for fuel wood is also higher on the weekly

market day i.e. Friday as Bichchiya has the biggest mandi in the area and hence

there is a huge inflow of people from nearby villages.

On the other hand, the market for fuel wood in Mocha is highly demand driven with

large variations in the demand for fuel wood based on the tourist inflow. Fuel wood

is mostly used by resorts for heating purposes and by a few dhabas. All the tea stalls

in this town have switched to kerosene because they find it cheaper and hassle free.

The dhaba owners are also slowly switching to LPG for the same reasons. These

factors have reduced the dependence on fuel wood over time. However, it is still

being used in water boilers and room heaters by tourist resorts which are more than

50 in number and 3 dhabas which burn around 15 gatthas of fuel wood every day

for cooking food. Each water boiler requires 1 gattha of fuel wood if burnt for an

entire day. The demand for fuel wood shoots up both in resorts and dhabas during

the holiday season (Christmas and summer) and is almost zero in the rainy season

when the park is closed for visitors.

14.5. Consumption and Prices of Fuel wood

The consumption of fuel wood and charcoal is much more in Bichchiya than in

Mocha. Though the resorts and dhabas continue to use fuel wood for cooking and

heating purposes in Mocha, the consumption has reduced over time as more and

more of the resorts and dhaba owners are switching to alternative sources such as

LPG and Solar energy.

The current prices for fuel wood in Bichchiya are Rs 50 – 60 per gattha with each

gattha weighing around 35 – 40 Kg. The prices can shoot up to Rs 70 per gattha

during the rainy season when dry wood is hard to find and during winters when the

villagers are busy with harvesting and other agricultural activities. Prices are

relatively low (Rs 30 – 40 per gattha) during the dry summer season when villagers

are not busy with agriculture. Besides weather and the agricultural cycle, NREGS

has also affected the prices of fuel wood. Availability of employment for villagers

during the summer months has reduced their dependence on fuel wood for

additional income. Surprise checks by the forest department also cause the prices

for fuel wood to shoot up sometimes.

The major supply routes for fuel wood in Bichchiya block are depicted in the figure

below.

43

Fig. 7: Fuel wood supply routes and consumption points in Bichchiya

The use of charcoal is comparatively lesser as it is much costlier (current price is Rs

200 per bora) and only small tea stalls use it for making tea and boiling milk. Each

bora of charcoal weighs around 50 Kg and lasts for 8 – 10 days21 on an average.

Around 30 such tea stalls are operating in and around the Bichchiya market area

presently. The prices for charcoal also show some variation in the range of Rs 180

to Rs 250 per bora.

In Mocha, the smaller sized gattha (20 – 25 Kg) costs Rs 30 at the current prices.

Though there are fluctuations in prices, they are not as striking as in Bichchiya. This

may be due to the fact that villagers supply fuel wood only when demanded and

know that the resort and dhaba owners will come to them for their fuel wood

requirements.

21 Consumption of charcoal also depends on the wood it is made from. Charcoal from Harra, Dhawa, Saaja and Tinsa is considered good as it is heavy and burns for longer periods of time while that from Teak and Bamboo burns out very quickly.

44

KatangaBanjari Jhulup Deelwada

Sarhi Taktouwa Bhanpur

Burra tola

Gitti tola

15.Conclusion

NTFPs play an important role in the role of tribals especially because they provide them

with an important source of income during the dry months when they have almost no

other alternative sources of income. However, unsustainable harvesting and degradation

of forests have resulted in a large scale reduction in quantities of almost all NTFPs found

in the region.

An intervention in NTFP needs to address the collection and processing issues that

villagers face. Establishing strong market linkages with industries/ markets is also

important as that would ensure that the collectors receive the maximum returns. However

breaking the traditional trade linkages is not easy as each link within the chain has an

important role to perform. Thus, the intervention needs to look at the collection,

processing and trade linkages for each NTFP separately and identify unmet needs of the

villagers.

Potential for intervention was identified in Mahua and Lac. SHGs could be established for

the pooling and storage of Mahua. An added initiative of providing collectors with nets to

collect Mahua could be taken up which would improve the returns that the collectors get

for their produce. The main aim of the intervention would be to reduce both – distress

sales during dry months as well as repurchase during the winters.

Similar groups could be formed for promoting Lac cultivation on Palash trees as Palash

trees are found in huge numbers in the region. A group needs to own atleast hundred such

trees in order to make the initiative successful. In case a group does not own these many

trees, they could be taken up on lease from the JFM Committee. A suitable incentive

sharing mechanism between the group and the JFM committee needs to be worked out in

order to avoid opportunism.

The scope for intervention in all other NTFPs under study was restricted to the Pooling or

Grading & Sorting stage as either the quantities obtained are too low or the technology

available is very complex and cannot be implemented at the village level. An intervention

in such NTFPs would first require an extensive awareness and regeneration programme

so that the quantities collected improve over time.

45

ANNEXURES

Annexure 1: Seasonal cycle of Major NTFPs

Product Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May JunChakoda

LacBroodin

g 2

Brooding 1 and Harvest

ing 2

Harvesting 1

Recuperation

Brooding 2

Van tulsiHarra BaherraMahuaBel FruitChironjiVan jeeraAonlaTendu Patta Leaves Collected

Fruit CollectedFruit Collected

Fruit Collected

Flowering Fruit Ripens

Flowering Fruit Ripens

Seeds mature

Seeds mature

Flowering Fruit RipensSeeds mature

vii

Annexure 2: Possible Interventions in NTFPs

Harvesting practices

Regeneration on public/

private lands

Community/private storage

structures

Pooling through SHGs

Primary Processing

Secondary Processing

Credit linkage

Bichiya X X X X XMocha X X X X XNiwas Bichiya X X X X XMochaNiwas X X X X XBichiya X X XMochaNiwas X X XBichiya X XMocha XNiwas X XBichiya Mocha X X XNiwas Bichiya MochaNiwas X X X X

Honey

Mahua

Lac

Name of the non timber forest

produce

Area of Intervention

Type of Intervention

Chakoda

Chironji

Gond

viii

REFERENCES

1. Biodiversity Conservation, Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) Programmes - Ideas for Implementation, UNDP, New Delhi

2. Reddy, K. S., Forest Working Plan (West Mandla Forest Division), 1993-943. Sinha, M. K., Forest Working Plan (East Mandla Forest Division), 1999-004. Thakur, Radha and M.Srinu Babu, Engendering the Market with Mahua A community

based initiative in Mandla5. Chhattisgarh State Institute of Rural Development, Report of the Study on Lac Sub

Sector6. Upadhyay, Avinash, Gums and Resins NTFP Unexplored7. Strategic Development of Lac in Madhya Pradesh, MPRLP, June 20068. Mehta, S., Rupela, O.P., Ramakrishnappa, K., Producer Company (PC)/Institutional

PC of, for and by the Farmers9. NTFP Enterprise and Forest Governance, FGLG India10. http://banajata.org/pdf/state-level/Madhya-Pradesh.pdf referenced on 10th December,

201011. http://www.iifm.ac.in/ntfp/NTFPGHPs.pdf referenced on 14th December, 201012. http://wiki.encyclopaediaindica.com/~encyclo3/wiki/index.php?

title=INDIAN_BUTTER_TREE referenced on 14th December, 201013. http://www.vasundharaorissa.org/Research%20Reports/Mahua%20The%20Lifeline

%20of%20Tribal%20India.pdf referenced on 12th December, 201014. http://www.downtoearth.org.in/node/2251 referenced on 08th December, 201015. http://www.alibaba.com/product-free/108404879/

GUM_GHATTI_INDIAN_GUM_Dhawa.html referenced on 12th December, 201016. http://www.mpinfo.org/mpinfonew/english/cd/040405.asp referenced on 12th

December, 2010

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internship report_irma_ntfps

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