Due to the abundance of Minor Forest Produce in Chhattisgarh and adequate arrangements for its purchase at support price by State Government, the lives of forest dwellers in State are getting better. The revolutionary decisions made by Chhattisgarh Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel to revive the lives of forest dwellers and minor forest produce collectors in the last two years, have now made minor forest produce a valuable product, which was earlier sold at a lesser price.

 

The forest produce collectors of State are deriving direct benefit out of it. This is the reason that Chhattisgarh has become the top State in the country in terms of collection of Minor Forest Produce. Chhattisgarh has established a new record by purchasing 73 percent of the country’s forest produce. Chhattisgarh is the only state in the country where 52 types of minor forest produce are being purchased at a support price. Due to this, the forest dwellers and forest produce collectors are getting directly benefited.

 

The Government of Chhattisgarh has taken an initiative in the direction of value addition of minor forest produce. Vananchal project has been started in the state for providing direct and indirect employment opportunities by establishing small forest produce based processing industries in forest area for its value addition. Also in order to attract investors for establishing minor forest produce based industries many types of rebates and attractive packages have been introduced. Entrepreneurs are now getting attracted and so far, 15 entrepreneurs have applied with a proposal to invest Rs 75 crore for setting up various types of forest produce based industries in Vananchal areas. At present, only five per cent of the forest produce collected are processed in the state and the Vananchal project initiative will encourage establishment of more forest produce based industries.

 

Under the forest produce based industries, processing of tamarind, mahua, tora, harra, bahera, lac, essential oil, munga, kodo kutki, ragi aag guthli, cashew nut, bhilwa etc. will be set up. Apart from the forest produce derived under the Vananchal project, farmers of Bastar region will also be able to cultivate Munga, Lemon Grass, Satwar, Patchouli, Vetiver, White Musli, Pipli and Ashwagandha. This will give them twice as much income as other crops. These crops will produce essential oils, aromatic oils and pharmaceutical products, which have huge potential for export outside the country.