The trees are primarily distributed in tropical countries and are grown in dry places. Undivided MP has a potential to produce 5000 MT of Amla per year generating an employment of 1.25 lakh person days. An estimate done between 1981 – 86 show that while forest circles in MP accounted for nearly 50% production of the undivided state, it accounted for less then 25% in terms of revenue indicating relatively poor quality of Amla in the present MP.

Now a days it has been observed that Amla occurs sparingly in forests. This is blamed on unsustainable harvesting practices and lack of any promotional aspects. In some areas of MP farmers have started growing Amla in private land.

Utilisation

The fruit, though sour is edible and has got medicinal value. It is the primary constituent of Ayurvedic drug Trifala and Chyavanprash. The fruit is also used for Murabba and ladoo preparation. Dried Amla are now packed into small pouches after mixing them with salt. This preparation (4-5 gram pouch selling at Rs. 1) has gained popularity and is sold in pan shops.

Collection and processing

The entire family irrespective of gender and age flock to forest to collect Amla. While, male members climb tree and start felling fruit on ground, womenfolk and children gather fallen Amla and put them into baskets.

Method of collection of Amla is highly irregular. Branches of trees are severed for collection of fruits when it is difficult to pluck; and brittle nature of wood often causes branches to break away from stem. In extreme cases entire tree is cut down. This has disastrous consequences for sustainability of collection of Aonla.

Fleshy & large sized fruits without spots yield better rates then smaller counterparts with spots. Bigger size Amla with lower fibre content is preferred for murabba and ladoo preparation. The smaller size of Amla (green and harvested earlier) is preferred for Chyavanprash.

Green Amla fetches lower price in market as it has very short shelf life and has to be rushed off for primary processing. Otherwise there is deterioration in the quality for which it is valued. However this can be stored after being packed in polythene bags for some more time (a month!). Powdered Amla fetches still higher value. Hence careful drying of mature Amla (preferably by draught type drier) or selling it in powder form after pulverisation fetches higher price.

Amla, after collection is first washed followed by cutting the fruit open and removing seed from pulp. This pulp is then left in open for drying with arrangements for avoiding contamination and takes about 3-4 weeks for complete drying. Dried Amla can be stored for longer duration, up to more then a year and fetches better return for collector.

Better still, Amla should be boiled prior to drying it in sun. Post boiling, pulp is separated from seed and cut into smaller slices before drying. Advantage of boiling is that whereas boiled and dried Amla yields 550 Gms for each kg of green Amla, weight comes to that of 450 Gms in case of simple drying. At the same time it must be noted that boiling destroys viability of the seeds. The extracted seeds therefore do not contribute to regeneration.

Quality of Amla is judged by physical purity of the pulp, whether pulp is totally separated from seed or not. Quality is also judged by colour of the pulp i.e. its homogeneity. If colour is homogenous it is considered to be of good quality and vice versa. Colour of the produce depends on amount of time pulp is exposed to sun and also whether pulp is same that was boiled together. If two different qualities of pulp boiled at different time, are dried together, the homogeneity is lost. It is recommended that water used for boiling be not used more then once. This would enhance quality of pulp, in terms of purity and homogeneity of pulp, and thus would fetch better price.

Normally the villagers do not get into processing. It is either the traders or co-operatives/ SHGs of collectors who into processing of Aonla. But due to selling unprocessed Amla, tribal loose valuable income in the bargain. The difference between prices of green and dried Aonla in Katni Mandi on December 5th 2002 was to the tune of 6 times. Where as Green Amla was priced at Rs.7 and dried Amla was priced at Rs.40.

Production and Pricing

Being a non-nationalised produce, it is difficult to get figures for Amla in a consolidated from. However it is believed that production of Amla has reduced over the years from the transaction that tales place in the Mandis. There could be two reasons – that traders are not channelising Amla through Mandis or the production is really going down over the years. While the former cause cannot be ruled out, researchers feel that Amla production has gone down significantly due to unsustainable harvesting practices.

PRICE Spread (at 1997 prices)

Figure : Price Trend of Amla in KATNI Mandi

Price of dried Amla has shown consistently increasing trend in Mandis and retail market. A study done over a period from 1986 to 1997 in Katni Mandi, indicate that price of Amla has risen 79% per annum (Rs. 1.7 in 1986 to Rs. 12 in 1997) and the increase in prices have been particularly sharp after 1993. The price as in September 2001 was hovering at Rs. 24 at Katni and Rs. 28 at Dhamtari. The price also depends on the purpose for which Amla is bought. In some years, demand of amla for preparation of Chyavanprash may be high and in some year Murabba preparation would be the major driver of demand while the former takes a back seat.

Observing above price spread figures; major concern remains the same - primary collectors continue to get a raw deal. When dried Aonla were being traded at Rs 12 a Kg at Katni, price in interior areas/ Mandis varied from Rs. 3 to Rs. 8 a Kg (after allowing for processing and conversion allowance). A detailed study needs to be carried out to know how the rate varied at primary collector level during the phase when there has been such a rise in rates at Katni Mandi.

Economic Aspects

A survey carried out in 1988 suggests that a person can collect nearly 50 Kg of Aonla in a day. But our interactions in the village suggest that the figure is very low now – definitely not more then 20 Kg a day. This is primarily due to 3 reasons - increasing awareness of Amla as a produce that fetch income, competition amongst villagers to harvest Amla, and unsustainable harvesting practices.

Trade aspects

Traders estimate of product flow in MT Jabalpur – 1000, Betul – 300. Traders at Betul reveal that about 8 years ago, around 2000 tonnes of Aonla used to come to Mandi per season but due to indiscriminate felling and over extraction, presently only 300 tonnes reach the Mandi.

Trade of dried Amla mostly takes place in Betul, Sheopur, Shivpuri, Chindwara, and Katni. Dhamtari in Chhatisgarh is one of the main markets for trade of Amla in the country. Amla is traded in both seeded and deseeded form. With commencement of fruiting season in January, kutchias, the tribal agents start arriving in villages. The traders announce collection rates and ask villagers to start plucking. Payment is done on cash basis. The trader then transports these Amla either directly or through commission agents to industries. There might be 2-3 more levels between kutchias and industry depending on location of the village. Another prominent buyer of the produce is Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Sahkari Samiti of ‘Lijjat Papad’ fame.

1997-98 was an exceptional low year for Aonla production when price of dried Aonla reached up to Rs. 60 a kg in retail market. There have been increasing apprehensions by the Industry as well about the unavailability of the produce. But at the same time the primary gatherers continue to get raw deal in terms the prices they realise for their labour. (Details later in the chapter on trade)