BHUBANESWAR: Even after six days of Odisha government granting relaxation in the lockdown for collection and harvest of minor forest produce, the state-run Tribal Development Cooperative Corporation (TDCC) is yet to start procurement of non-timber forest produce (NTFP) under the price support system.
The corporation has entered into agreement with more than 1,200 primary procurement agencies in 23 districts to procure minor forest produce (MFP) at minimum support price set by the government.
“This (March to June) being the peak season for collection and harvest of MFP/NTFP makes it imperative for the government to take prompt measures to protect the economy and livelihoods of the tribal communities by providing them safety net,” said researcher and coordinator of MFP Group India Chitta Ranjan Pani.
Tribals being the primary procurers are hit hard in the first phase of the lockdown as their livelihoods largely depend on sale of MFP. They will be forced to sell the produce to private traders if TDCC makes further delay in procurement, he feared.
Around eight lakh registered kendu leaf pluckers are sitting idle due to lack of communication from the district administrations concerned allowing them for collection of leaf.Malkangir district is only exception where the Collector has issued order on April 13, the day the State Government relaxed the Covid-19 restriction on collection and harvesting of MFP. It took five days for the State to exempt the procurement of MFP from the lockdown though the Centre had given such relaxation to 15 states including Odisha on April 8.
Writing to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on April 8, Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda advised him to direct the State nodal agencies for undertaking procurement of MFP under price support system in right earnest. “This is essential to obviate the movement of middlemen from urban areas to tribal habitations and thereby check any eventuality of spread of coronavirus among the tribal communities,” Munda said.
There is no dearth of fund with the state government, Pani said adding the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has assured to provide additional funds, if any, required by the State under Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Vikas Yojana (PMVDVK).While the total production of NTFP is worth about Rs 5000 crore annually, the kendu leaf trade of the state is about Rs 500 crore. The average income of a tribal family from the business is about Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000, he added.
MFP Trade
1,200 primary procurement agencies
Total production of NTFP is worth about Rs 5000 crore annually
Kendu leaf business of the State is about Rs 500 crore
Govt relaxed the Covid-19 restriction on collection and harvesting of MFP on April 13