Sal (Shorea Robusta) is a large evergreen tree belonging to dipterocarpaceae family. Sal timber is extremely durable and is used for making railway sleepers, gun carriages, beams, doors, planking etc.

Availability and Spread

There is a 3 year cycle for maximum, medium and low production in Sal seed the reasoning of which is difficult to explain. Though fluctuating, this gives large-scale employment to people and revenue to government. In 1993, 673 thousand quintals of Sal Seed procurement had generated employment of 41.83 lakh person days in the undivided state of MP. After the division, most of the rich Sal tree area has gone to Chhatisgarh.

There was a borer attack on the Sal seed trees in the year 1995. The FD provided the solution by ordering to cut all the trees. Some believe that the solution was worse then the problem. It has resulted in huge reduction in number of Sal trees.

Utilisation

The seeds of Sal are an important source of edible oil. Sal seed accounts for 90 % of the total oil seed production from forest produces. The seed contains 19 - 20% of oil and are used in detergents. The oil is used as a substitute of butter, in confectionaries, eatables and also for making soaps. Oil cake remaining after oil extraction contains 10-12% protein and is used as feed for chicken. It is also used as manure. The seeds are sometimes eaten whole, especially in times of famine. Tribal use the fat for lighting.

Collection and Processing

Collection and primary processing of Sal seed is more difficult then other NTFP. It is mostly the women who are engaged in the collection. Sal seed fruits collected in forest have fins that are removed by burning, either in the forest or at home. After removal of fins, seeds are separated and cleaned. Seeds are then dried in sun for a day, and crushed for separating the cotyledon. Collectors claim that wages obtained from Sal seed is poor in comparison to labour involved.

Sal oil is extracted from Sal seed. The cotyledons of its seeds yield Sal butter. The seed is husked, boiled and then oil skimmed off. The processed or refined oil solidifies very soon and looks like white butter. It condenses in normal temperature and melts very soon at a few degrees of rise in temperature. It is used for cooking and lighting and for adulterating of ghee. Since it melts at mouth temperature, it is used in chocolates.

Production and Pricing

Figure : Production Figures of Sal Seed

Sal seed production has fluctuated randomly as seen from the graph. On the whole it can be seen that while production has increased in 70s, it has declined in last 2 decades. There are also allegations at the same time that MP has not exploited even a miniscule percent of its production potential.

The dip in production in mid 90s is because of the large-scale borer attack that struck Sal forests during that period. Many trees were felled as a result (there is strong objections to this being a effective solution). After division of the state, there has been a big increase in production in 2000-01. It is to be seen whether this is sustained.

Sal seed being a nationalised produce, the federation fixes the price. Though the MFP federation has increased rates almost every year since 1996, there are allegations of underpayment.

Economic Aspects

A labour can approximately collect 15 kg of Sal seed per day on an average day and it can go up to 20 kgs in good seasons (Bhatnagar and Shukla, 1994). Approximately 50% of what is collected goes as waste and it takes 2 days for drying and processing. At current rates of Rs 3.50 per kg, a person can earn Rs. 35 a day in a peak production year.

Trade Aspects

The state MFP Federation collects Sal Seed, a nationalised forest produce, through PCS from Sal forest areas. Sal Seed collected by federation is sold by advance open tenders/ auctions. The federation fixes upset prices and invites tenders for purchasing estimated quantities of Sal seeds from different units. Agents are appointed for all sold units and unsold units are worked out departmentally. The prices paid to the collectors are based on recommendations of an advisory committee. The prices could be different for different units. Sal seed collection is not as well organised as Kendu leaf collection.

Market potential of Sal seed remains under explored because of nationalisation and lower prices. Previously, state government had long term agreements with 4 oil extraction units of the state and all the Sal seed collected in the area allocated to each unit was handed over to it, after recovery of royalty at a predetermined rate plus the extraction expenditure. As on 1991, 68.5 % of Sal seeds had been committed to the industries (Source: MP Integrated Forestry Sector Project Preparatory Report, MP FD, September 1991). But it has been observed that the rate at which the federation was supplying it to the oil units, as part of committed supply arrangement was always substantially lower then free market rates. This had other implications in terms of promoting corruption (by siphoning up of seed to private traders) and inefficiency of the concerned industries (one of the effects being reluctance for technology up gradation). But even the state high court held this arrangement against petitions citing the above reasons. But all this has been done away with now.

This oil had a good export potential because of its substitution of cocoa butter. It was mostly being exported to Japan. In 1992, 300 tonnes of Sal oil had been exported to Japan at a FOB price of 1150 dollars a tonne and in 1996-7, 4068.63 tonnes of Sal fat had been exported from India. Even the deoiled cake used for cattle feed has got export potential (60$/ tonne) and about 48000 tonnes which is about 70% of total production was exported in 1992.