Ministry of Tribal Affairs has announced inclusion of 23 additional Minor Forest Produce (MFP) items and stipulation of their Minimum Support Price (MSP) under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme titled “Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) through Minimum Support Price (MSP) and development of value chain of MFP”.
Current Developments
- The increase across various items of minor forest produce ranged from 16% to 66% (in some cases such as Giloe, the increase has been up to 190%). The increase is also expected to provide an immediate and much needed momentum to procurement of minor tribal produce across all States.
- The Ministry has provided flexibility to States to fix MSP upto 10% higher or lower than MSP declared by the Government.
- The following 9 items available in forest areas across India have also been included in this notification with Minimum Support Price:
. Van Tulsi seeds (Ocimumgratissimum)
. Van Jeera (Vernonia anthelmintica)
. Tamarind Seed (Tamarindusindica)
. Bamboo Brooms (Thysanolaena maxima
. Dry Anola (Phyllnthusemblica) (Dry)
. KachriBaheda (Terminalia bellerica)
. KachriHarra (Terminalia chebula)
. Seed lac (Kerria lacca)
Key Features of the Scheme
- The Central Government had introduced a MSP for a select list of MFP through “Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce through Minimum Support price and development of Value Chain of MFP” Scheme in 2011 to provide a social safety net to the underprivileged forest dwellers, and to aid in their empowerment.
- TRIFED, as the apex national organisation involved in the improvement of the livelihood and empowerment of these tribal people, is the nodal agency for the implementation of the scheme.
- Revolving Fund: It will be operated at state level for upfront payment for procuring MFP, with 75:25 sharing between Central and participating state governments.
- Modernization of Haats with permanent structure and facilities for storage, drinking water, shade and platforms.
- Multipurpose centers to facilitate capacity building, training for value addition, storage, marketing of MFP and warehousing.