Madhya Pradesh is situated in the centre of the country and is the largest state in India. Due to great multiplicity of topographical features, soil and climatic factors, diverse types of natural vegetation are available. The state is a union of extremes as far as quality of forest is concerned. In the state, forests types ranging from dry thorny forests to tropical moist and even sub-tropical, semi-evergreen forests occur. A number of minor forest produces including medicinal and aromatic plants are found in the natural forests.

Minor forest produces have tremendous potential and make significant contribution in terms of income and employment in rural areas near forests. In Madhya Pradesh, it is estimated that Boiga tribes collect maximum MFP species among forest dwellers in the world. A large chunk of population in M.P. is tribes and these tribal communities largely dwell in forests and subsist on forest products. In the state some important minor forest produces have been nationalised recognising their significance in employment generation and economy of rural people, as well as their economic role in industry, while others continue to be in the informal sector.

NTFP often provide income to local population such as tribes and weaker sections with limited alternative employment opportunities and low income. As a vast quantity of NTFPs are sold in informal way, information about exact prices, demand and supply pattern, flow and market option are less known than any other major crops.

NTFP have the potential to become sustainable sources of revenue for the primitive groups like ethnic minorities, tribes and weaker sections of the forest cover. Economic benefits derived from NTFP have been identified as a major opportunity for Community Forestry Projects (CFP) and Joint Forest Management (JFM). However the primary tribal markets are generally informal and it is difficult for the local villagers to have access to information about potential markets and to have any control over the prices they receive. NTFP play an important role in both national and local economies. The market of NTFP is enormously informal and unstructured.

Study area and methodology

Two districts, Seoni adjacent to Amarkantak belt and Shivpuri in Chambal belt were selected for the study. In each district four villages out of two blocks were selected through stratified random sampling method. In each village case study, group discussion and sample survey methods were adopted during the study. Apart from this indepth interview of traders from Seoni, Chhindwara and Shivpuri districts were taken to know the trade environment of NTFP.

NTFP policy

Tendu leave was the first item to be nationalised in 1964 followed by Harra, Sal seed and gums. In view the importance of tendu leaves as an income source for tribals and revenue potential to state government, it was nationalised by enactment of Tendu leaves (Vyapar Viniyaman) Adhiniyam, 1964. It is now collected through three tiered cooperatives in the state. Primary Cooperative Society at the village level, District Union at district level and MP MFP Federation at state level. At village level PCS collects tendu leaves and other nationalized produces. District unions are accountable of the quality of the produces and storage also. Finally the apex body invites tenders from registered traders to dispose the leaves. The primary collectors involved in the collection of tendu leaves are getting incentives from MP MFP Federation. The federation after deducting the entire costs involved in the process distributes 100 per cent profit among the collectors of tendu leaves. 50 per cent direct cash to the collectors and the rest 50 per cent for infrastructure and forestry development.

SEONI DISTRICT

Seoni is situated in south MP near Amarkantak Plateau on the way from Jabalpur to Nagpur. It is surrounded by Chhindwara, Balaghat, and Jabalpur districts and borders Maharashtra. It has two territorial and production forest divisions - North and South divided into 17 ranges. The district has a variety of flora and fauna and is home to rich diversity. Whereas south Seoni is dominated by NTFPs, north Seoni is more known for its timbers. Teak is a dominant tree species in the north division with varying associates like Bamboo, Amla, Tendu and Mahua. Lot of medicinal plants are also available in the region.

There are 20 Primary Cooperative Societies in North Seoni and 24 in South Seoni. The federation is implementing PPA programme in Keolari, Lakhanadon, Dhanora and Ghansur blocks of the district.

Profile Of The Villages Studied

Village –Ratanpur

The village is 40 km from the Block Keolari and is on the roadside. The village is bordered by dense forest covering Teak, Saj, Amla, Mahua etc. A FPC has been formed in the village that has all the families as its member. The forest department has allotted fixed area to each family to protect the trees within respective boundary in lieu of which the family is owner of the forest produces available in that particular area. Most of the days in a month they are engaged in planting trees, reviving the degraded trees. The days when a family member gets engaged by the forest department for plantation or any other work, (s)he gets Rs 64/- per day. For most of the times, the families survive on forest produces available in the nearby forest. Amla, Mahua, Tendu leaves, and Nagarmotha are the major forest produces available in the nearby forests.

The village being located in a relatively remote area, marketing of the forest produces was a major problem some years back, as traders won’t come to the village. So the villagers were moving to Nagpur in search of work. Previously they were also not aware about the economic importance of medicinal plants. Now after formation of FPC in the village the FD engages them for 7-8 days a month. The department has also trained the villagers about the importance of some of the species and their harvesting techniques and is helping in marketing the produces.

NTFP Potential In The Village.

Income from Tendu leaves, is it enough?

A family has to cover a distance of 20 km daily to collect TL in Ratanpur. It takes 5 hours daily to cover the distance and 6 more hours to collect TL that would make 125 guddies. To make guddies, it takes 3 hours and one member has to spend another 1 hour to deposit the guddies made. So in total a family together spends 15 hours to collect 125 guddies (6250 leaves) of TL that ultimately fetches Rs. 50.

Trading of Mahua

The price of Mahua fluctuates depending on the production. At the beginning stage the price is generally Rs 6 - 7/- per kg and gradually the price goes down as the production increases and it was Rs 4/- per kg at the village and this price continues till the production decreases. At that time the price again increase and during the last crop season the price was Rs 7/- per kg. He villagers sold to the village level kutchias or at the nearest haat or at the nearest grocery shops by the above mentioned prices. The flow diagram below will give a clear picture of the trading of Mahua at different levels. The prices of Mohua can increase by 20 – 30% if they are dried in the sun properly for 3-4 days.

Mahua being under state control in Maharastra, traders don’t require C-FORM for trading. The purchasers take responsibility for transportation of Mahua from Madhya Pradesh to Maharastra.

Mahua, the best source of income!!!

Shant Kumar of Ratanpur is married and has three children. He and his wife are members of the FPC. His average monthly income of Rs 900/- comes from wage labour and by selling forest produces. Mahua is one of the important forest produce for them. Both husband and wife move to the forest by 5 o’clock in the morning during Mahua season, as there are no trees in his revenue land or within the village. It takes 30 minutes to cover 2 km to reach the forest. They collect Mahua fallen in the previous night and then start gathering fuel wood. Mahua again starts falling from 8 AM till 1 o’ clock and they concentrate on the same. They return to their village at around 2 PM and spread the flower collected for drying. The flower is ready to be sold by the end of the day. 9 hours of direct labour by the couple results in nearly 20 KG of Mahua that would fetch Rs. 120 under normal market conditions. Clearly Mahua is even more important then TL in terms of return to the families.

Dependency on forest produces in village Ratanpur

A sample survey was conducted in the village consisting 10 respondents to examine the extent of dependency of forest produces vis-à-vis other sources. The analysis was done on the base of the average income of the individual family. The income and its break up of the individual family have been calculated using the recall method. The average monthly income was multiplied with 12 months to calculate the annual income.

Village- Pendrapani

The primary source of income of this village is the forest with agricultural work and daily labour contributing the rest. People collect Tendu patta, Harra, Behada, Amla, Char, Mahua, Mahua seed and some medicinal plants/ parts like Nagarmutha, Satavar, Keokand, Safed musli, Kaju musli in the respective seasons. A FPC has been formed in this village under the JFM programme. FD has allotted 2.5 acre of forestland each for protection and livelihood support to 11 HH in the village on experimental basis. People work in it under the supervision of the FD as per requirement and get Rs 64.76 per day. The families get 10 to 15 days of work in a month this way. People have got interested in the scheme as this gives some assured income and want all HHs to be included. The village also has two women SHGs for the last two years

NTFP Potential In The Village

Source: Last Year Approximate Collection Figures

Village-Chanderpur

Chanderpur is 15 km from Kurei in the south Seoni Forest Division by the river Babanthedi. The river starts flowing from the rainy season to January. The village is inhabited by predominantly Gond tribes with a few Muslim and SC families. The village is part of Chanderpur Panchayat and the present female serpach is from the Village. The major NTFPs collected in the village are Tendu patta, Mohua, Achar, Mahua and Amla etc. The village has a reasonable infrastrucuture as seen from below -
Village Infrastructure

• A mud road Connects the Village with two low level river water Siphon which is a problem for the Villagers in the rainy season.
• There is a World Bank assisted hospital building in the Village with no Doctor from the beginning.
• Electricity supply is there in the Village
• Telephone (Solar) tower is there with a faulty machine.
• Post Office is there in the Village.
• Kirana shop and fair price shop is there in the Village
• Primary and Middle School is there with 1-2 teachers with irregular attendance.
• 7 hand pumps is there in the Village with all fluoride content water

This Village has also been covered in the JFM programme. A FPC has been formed with all 68 HHs. With 11 executive Committee members, Mr. Mohammad Aayum is the President of the Committee and Mrs. Sabitri Bai is the Secretary. They have joint accounts with the forest Dept. The beneficiaries have 68 bank passbooks in Maharashtra bank, Kurei branch. The Committee had a MOU with the FD and under the Assisted Natural Regeneration scheme they are getting employment and 1200 bamboo Clumps from the degraded bamboo forests for its renovation with CBO (Cut back Operation).

NTFP Potential In The Village

While analysing the NTFPs potential in the Village it was found that the nearby forest being dominated with bamboo. The people have also been attracted towards ANR bamboo Scheme and that’s why are not interested in NTFP harvesting to its full Potential.

A grocery shop is there in the village, which purchases the NTFPs in the village. Kutchias from Kurei and Rukhad are also coming to the village to collect NTFPs. They sell it in Seoni. And from there other big traders take those NTFPs to other part of the country.

Trade Environment of NTFPs in Seoni

The following figure and table shows the trading channel and pattern of different forest produces in the district.

 

Items	Production Quantity (Qtl.)	Quantity Traded (Qtl.)	Market Price (Rs. / kg)	Where does it go
Mahua	4000 - 5000	2,000	8	Nagpur, Amarabati, Rajastan
Char	6000	4000	35-40	Amarwada
Behada	4000 - 5000	4000 - 5000	1.25-1.80	Delhi, Mumbai and Nagpur
Amla	800	400 - 500	10-40	Amritsar, Delhi, Mumbai and Nagpur
Mahua seed	4000 - 5000	2000	10	Nagpur and Chindwara
Brahmi	100	-	-	-
Kalihari	5	-	-	-
Kalmegh	100	-	-	-
Sarpagandha	25	-	-	-
Satwar	70	-	-	-
Safed musli	25	-	-	-
Harra	350	-	-	-
Nagarmutha	100	-	-	-

Overall Findings

• In Seoni Kurei and Keolari are the two blocks where studies were carried out. While in Kurei it is the medicinal plants that dominate the trade, Mahua, Amla, Nagarmutha, Satavar, Char and gum dominate Keolari. FD has taken an initiative to restore degraded bamboos through Assistant Natural Regeneration scheme under JFM. Each member of the chosen FPC is allotted 1200 clumps of bamboo to restore it within a particular area. The members are responsible for protecting other trees in that particular area and harvest NTFPs obtained in that area. The members of the committee are getting Rs 1250 per month for maintenance of the area allotted to them.
• In Seoni forest department has provided certain plots on the forest to each family of certain villages to look after the trees present in their territory in lieu of harvesting rights of the produces. At the same time the HHs are responsible for loss of any trees in their territory.
• A comparative study of participatory involvement of ethnic groups in collection of various NTFP and income from the region revealed that an average of 80 % households per village were involved in the collection of NTFP. The participation of male, female and children revealed that there was no significant difference in participation.
• The trade environment in Seoni district indicates that apart from local consumption a large quantity of Mahua goes to Nagpur and Char gutli to Amarwada in Chhindwara district for processing. In the village level Mahua was traded at Rs 5/- to Rs 7/- and at the district level it was traded at Rs 9/- per kg. Around 40,000 Qtl of Mahua have gone to Nagpur and Rajasthan this year. As Mahua is under controlled items in Maharastra, all the trading is done in the illegal channel.
• Some amount of medicinal plants are utilised locally by the Vaids or by the HH themselves as per their indigenous knowledge. Otherwise the pharmaceutical companies are buying the produces through the traders. The traders dealing in medicinal plants have good knowledge of marketing and up to date information of rates of different produces at different markets. However cultivators of medicinal plants are facing difficulties in marketing the products.

SHIVPURI

The district is famous for the variety of temples constructed by Scindia Dynasty of Gwalior. Madhav National Park is another place that attracts the tourists. Gwalior, Jhansi and Sheopur surround the district. Shivpuri forest division has been organised into 35 primary cooperative societies, 266 VFCs, 15 FPCs in the 7 ranges that it has. A survey on MFPs conducted by the FD indicate availability of around 60 minor forest produces in the division out of which Amla, Arjun chhal, Baheda, Nagarmotha, Neem seed and Godmar leaves are found in significant quantity. In all the ranges the Price of Tendu Leaves per standard bag for the year 2001 was Rs 300/- and this year again it is Rs 400/- per standard bag. The production of tendu leaves in the district was very low in 2001 and for that reason the federation decided to decrease the price by Rs 100/- per standard bag.

In Shivpuri Amla and Mahua trees were found in a good number around 10 years back. But these trees have vanished gradually and today these are endangered in the area. The forest department though JFM is trying for survival of these. Due to lack of awareness on proper harvesting techniques, villagers at that time cut the trees to get amla or other produces or to use the timbers for fuel or to sell those in the market. As the land holding size of the villagers is marginal, dependency on agriculture is very low. Most of the times they move to Rajsthan and Sheopur, the neighbouring district in search of work. In April they move to Sheopur to work as laboures in wheat fields. But lack of rains in last three years has made these options a distant reality. Even availability of medicinal plants has been affected by the lack of rains.

General Information of Villages

Village – Kakara

Major NTFPs available in the forest near this village are Bel, Satavar, Amla, Tendupatta, Safed Musli, Kali Musli and Nagarmutha. The villagers primarily depend on the forest produces for their livelihood. All the families of the village were engaged in collection of tendu leaves this season. An average family earned Rs 1250/- during the collection season in 9 days of collection. The following table gives the potential of NTFP availability in the village.

Village- Dehede

The village is located at 16 km from the block headquarter and communication to the village is very difficult. The entire population belong to tribal community and dependency on forest is very high. Like village Kakara they also migrate to Sheopur and Rajasthan in search of livelihood. The forest products here are entirely different from that of Seoni. Here the major forest produces are Tendu leaves and medicinal plants. In comparison to other non-nationalised forest produces, market of medicine plants is more unorganised and exploitive. The tribal people are unaware of its harvesting techniques and the market information is very poor. So they are not getting proper returns from them.

The forest was dense with Mahua, Char, and Amla trees till about 10 years ago. People of this village and neighbouring villages were engaged in cutting the trees without thinking about the future. Today the trees are found very sparsely. VFC has been formed under the JFM programme village to look after endangered species and the degraded forest.

Potentiality of NTFPs

Village- Aairaban

Most of the people in the Village belong to Sahariya tribe apart from 3 who are Rajputs. The village comes within the precincts of Madhav National Park. Agriculture wgae labour and labour in Stone quarry is the predominant occupation in the village. There is a primary school in the village. There is an ICDS centre in the village for providing nutritional supplement to mothers, the functioning of which has been very irregular. An eco - development committee has been formed in the village as part of JFM programme.

Being part of a National Parks, there is restriction in harvesting NTFPs. And hence it has affected the income of people dependent on the forest for their livelihood. It has been observed that this has forced the local inhabitants to work as daily labourer and increasingly towards robbery. Travelling in the road passing by the village to Narwar is risky after 7 pm. There have been number of cases of kidnapping for money in the area. According to people, declaration of National Park has given rise to more number of robbery cases in the region. There has also been increase in migration to nearby bigger towns like Jhansi and Delhi.

The major NTFPs collected in the region are - Godmar Leafs, Sona roots, Safed Musli, Mahua, Char, Amla, Behada, Gond, Khair (seed and gum), Bel, Tendu leaves, and Guli (Mohua seed),

NTFP Potential In The Village

Village- Chanda

Village Chanda is 5 km from Satnawada Narwar road. Most of the people in the village are tribals belonging to Sahariya tribe. Agriculture work, forest produce collection and daily labour are the main occupation of the Villagers. This village also has an EDC. People Collect Variety of NTFPs like Tendu patta, Raj hans patta, Godmar leaves, Sona ke jad, Amla, Behada, Bel, Harra etc from the near by Forest. After the Declaration of National Park of that area people are facing trouble in Collecting NTFPs from forest and some People are working as daily labourer or resort to robbery. It is observed that robbery is increasing by the day in the area and some people believe that the declaration of the area as National Park has major role to play in this.

NTFP Potential In The Village

Trade Environment of NTFPs in Shivpuri

In Shivpuri, studies have been done in Pohri and Shivpuri blocks. Both the blocks are rich in medicinal plants and production potential of Mahua, Char, and Harra etc is very less. Sal seed is not available in the area. Around 60 species of medicinal plants are available in this division and these are now protected and harvested by the forest department through Village Forest Committee.

The forest not being really dense, 80 % of the tradable forest produces are medicinal herbs and the rest 20 % tendu leaves, gum etc. Kullu gum of class –I category is banned in Shivpuri district. A number of village forest committees have been formed so that people are co-opted in protecting and regenerating the forest. The FD collects the produces through the FPCs and auctions them to the private traders. Otherwise the traders buy these products by engaging agents at village level. The district being near to Delhi, Kanpur, and Lucknow, the major markets for medicinal plants, the traders do not face any difficulty in marketing the product. The rate of different produces traded by the traders during the last season is mentioned below.

The rate of medicinal plants has been on an increasing trend in last some years. According to traders local consumption is also increasing and the demand in the market is also increasing. Traders having processing facilities of medicinal plants have sound knowledge on market demand and adequate information of different produces at different markets. The roots are just powdered in processing units and added to other ingredients proportionately. Then after packing they are ready for sale. As per the traders, 35 % items are consumed locally and the rest go to Delhi, Jaipur, and Amritsar etc. The traders have good networking in different parts of the country and are not facing difficulties in marketing these products.

Trade Link