NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Tribal Affairs will set up processing units for minor forest produce in
Chattisgarh and Maharashtra in a bid to enhance incomes of tribal communities.
The venture would be carried out with the Ministry of Food Processing Industries under the project name of ‘Trifood’. The implementation agency of the programme will be the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED).
Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda virtually launched Trifood project in Raigad, Maharashtra and Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh. The project would enhance the income of tribal communities through better utilisation of and value addition to the minor forest produces (MFPs) collected by the tribal forest gatherers.
The unit in Raigad will be used for value addition to mahua, amla, custard apple and jamun to produce mahua drink, amla juice, candy, jamun juice and custard apple pulp.
The multi-commodity processing centre in Jagdalpur will be used for the processing of commodities like mahua, amla, honey, cashew, tamarind, ginger, garlic and other fruits and vegetables.
The processed products will be sold across the country in Tribes India outlets, and franchisee stores. TRIFED also plans to identify and train tribal entrepreneurs who can also sell the products.
To help tribals
The TRIFOOD project in Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra is an attempt to offer a development package for tribals, said the TRIFED MD Pravir Krishna