In a bid to stop the smuggling of tasar cocoons to neighbouring states by unscrupulous traders, the Odisha Government has decided to incentivise tasar rearers by offering them a bonus.
Farmers selling reelable cocoon to primary societies will get an additional 25 paise on each cocoon under a new re-imbursement scheme on procurement which has been approved by the State Government. The incentive will be over and above the price fixed by the designated committee.
Tasar cocoon is a minor forest produce (MFP) and reared on Arjun, Asan and Sal plants or in block plantations in forest areas. Mostly tribals of Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Deogarh, Dhenkanal, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Phulbani, Nabarangpur and Sonepur are involved in the rearing activity which is carried out for two to three months in a year.
Since it is categorised as MFP, the sale is regulated and only primary societies can procure the cocoons from the growers and subsequently sell it to the weavers. “Reelable tasar cocoon is considered high grade and has a great demand among weavers but tasar farming is fraught with risks, natural as well as economic which affects the livelihood of tribal growers. That’s the reason why the Government has decided to give them an increased financial cushion through the incentive which they will get besides the support price,” Director, Textiles, GB Swain said.
While climatic conditions and predators are a major threat to the tasar cocoons, private traders try to procure the produce from the rearers which is illegal since the sector is regulated. Such illegal procurement takes place in the bordering areas of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand where traders manage to get their procurement during night and wee hours to escape notice of forest officials.
According to Assistant Director, Sericulture, Surya Patnaik, the move to incentivise is aimed at giving growers, weavers as well as customers a win-win deal. While the farmers get a fair deal for their efforts, weavers procure the tasar at a good price and the customers’ interest is protected since any fluctuation in prices is not passed on to them.
Around 12,000 tribal families are engaged in the farming on which 5,000-odd weavers are dependent. The State Government recently revised the support price which is fixed on a ‘tola’ system of measurement, traditionally followed by the farmers.
The Similipal Biosphere Reserve and the undulating Sal, Arjun and Asan forests of Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Sundargarh are the hub for Odisha’s famous tasar.