The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has advised all states to speed up procurement operations for Minor Forest Produceto support the Tribals especially in the backdrop if situation created by Covid19 and also keeping in view that it is now peak season for gathering of MFP.

The States have initiated the process of procurement of Minor Forest Produce and operations have begun in 10 States. Procurement of Rs. 20.30 Cr. has already been undertaken in the FY 2020-21 till date. The entire procurement operation for MFP will get a further push after announcement of revised MSP for 49 items of forest produce by Ministry of Tribal Affairs on 1^st May, 2020 in view of the difficult circumstances arising out of pandemic Covid 19.

An online monitoring dashboard has been created for reporting the activities undertaken at the State level for procurement of Minor Forest Produce. It’s called the Van Dhan Monit Dashboard, part of the “TRIFED E- Sampark Setu” being created for an exchange of information to and from every Panchayat and Van Dhan Kendra, either through Mail or Mobile. TRIFED proposes to link up with 10 lakh villages, district and state level partners, agencies and SHGs. TheState Implementing Agencies have started updating the dashboards  as the work progresses in their States.

States have appointed the Van Dhan Kendras as their primary procurement agents for MFP procurements from haat bazaars.The Van Dhan Kendras have procured around 31.35 MTs of MFPs with a value of Rs. 1.11 Cr.Under the Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan program, 1126 VDVKs have been sanctioned in 21 States and 1 UT involving 3.6 lakh tribal beneficiaries putting them on path to enterprise.

The scheme of Van Dhan Kendras  is operational in 22 States with significant Tribal population in the country and has the potential to benefit almost 1.1 crore tribal families in the country.

The Scheme of ‘Institutional Support for Development and Marketing of Tribal Products’ has a Minimum Support Price component and a Value Addition component and aims to raise the incomes of tribal gatherers and promote enterprise among them. To ensure higher and remunerative prices to tribal gatherers, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has issued a revised price list of MSP for MFP on 01 May 2020. This was done after due consultation with the MFP Pricing Cell and the major MFP-rich States for the benefit of the tribal gatherers in this distress times of Covid19 which has affected their livelihoods. The revised prices would provide the much needed support for the tribal gatherers and give a boost for the MFP procurement work in the States. The revised prices for MFP products are –

 (In Rupees per Kg)

S.No. Minor Forest Produce (MFP) Existing MSP Revised MSP

1  Tamarind (with seeds) (Tamarindus indica) 31 36

2 Wild Honey 195 225

3 Gum Karaya (Sterculia urenus) 98 114

4 Karanj seed (Pongamia pinnata) 19 22

5 Sat seed (Shorea robusta) 20 20

6 Mahua seed (Madhuca longifolia) 25 29

7 Sal leaves (Shorea robusta) 30 35

8 Chironji pods with seeds (Buchanania

lanzan) 109 126

9  .Myrobalan (Terminalia chebula) 15 15

10 A. Rangeeni Lac 130 200

10 B. Kusumi Lac 203 275

11 Kusum seeds (Schleichera oleosa) 2023

12 Neem seeds (Azadirachta indica)23 27

13 Puwad seeds (Cassia tora)14 16

14 Baheda (Terminalia bellirica) 17 17

15 Hill Broom Grass (Thysanolaena

maxima) 30 50

16 Dry Shikakai Pods (Acacia concinna) 43 50

17 Bael pulp (Dried) (Aegle marmelos) 27 30

18 Nagarmotha (Cyperus rotundas) 27 30

19 Shatavari Roots (Dried) (Asparagus racemosus) 92 107

20 Gudmar / Madhunashini (Gymnema sylvestre) 35 41

21 Kalmegh (Andrographis paniculata) 33 35

22 Tamarind (De-seeded) (Tamarindus indica) 54 63

23 Guggul (exudates) 700 812

24 Mahua Flowers (dried) (Madhuca longifolia) 17 30

25 Tejpatta (dried) (Cinnamomum tamala and

Cinnamomum sp.) 33 40

26 Jamun dried seeds (Syzygium cumini) 36 42

27 Dried Amla pulp (deseeded) (Phvllanthus emblica) 45 52

28 Marking Nut (Semecarpus anacardium) 8 9

29 Soap Nut (dried) (Sapindus emarginatus) 12 14

30 Bhava seed/ (Amaltas (Cassia fistula) 1 l 13

31 Arjuna Bark (Terminalia arjuna) 18 21

32 Kokum (Dry) (Garcinia indica) 25 29

33 Giloe (Tinospora cordifolia) 21 40

34 Kaunch seed (Mucuna pruriens) 18 21

35 Chirata (Swertia chirayita) 29 34

36 Vaybidding / Vavding (Embelia ribes ) 81 94

37 Dhavaiphool dried flowers (Woodfordia floribunda) 32 37

38 Nux Vomica (Strrchnos nux vomica) 36 42

39 Ban Tulsi Leaves (dried) (Ocimum tenuiflorum) 19 22

40 Kshirni (Hemidesmus indicus) 30 35

41 Bakul (dried bark) (Mimusops elengii) 40 46

42 Kutaj (dried bark) (Holarrhena aubescens/

H.antidysenterica) 27 31

43 Noni / Aal (dried fruits) (Morinda

citrifolia ) 15 17

44 Sonapatha/ Syõnak pods (Oroxylum

indicum ) 18 21

45 Chanothi seeds (Abrus precatorius) 39 45

46 Kalihari (dried tubers) (Gloriosa superba) 27 31

47 Makoi (dried fruits) (Solarium nigrum) 21 24

48 Apang plant (Achyranthes aspera) 24 28

49 Sugandhmantri roots/ tubers

(Homaloinena aromatica) 33 38

The revised prices have been in the following brackets –

Increase in prices No of items

No Increase3

0%-5% 0

5%-10% 1

10%-15% 10

15%-20% 30

>20% 6

Total no of items 50 (including two types of lac)

The highest price revision has been done in Giloe, Mahua Flowers, Hill Grass, and Lac (Rangeeni & Kusumi) while the prices of Sal seeds, Baheda and Myrobalan have been kept unchanged.

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NB/SK/UD