Minimum Support Price Scheme for MFP

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has recently announced a revised MSP (Minimum Support Price Scheme) for MFP (Minor Forest Produce). This centrally-sponsored initiative is officially known as “Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) through Minimum Support Price (MSP) and development of value chain for MFP,” and is meant for the social safety of MFP gatherers.

What is Minor Forest Produce?

Section 2(4) of the Indian Forest Act, 1927, describes forest produce as products found in or brought from a forest. This includes:

Timber, charcoal, caoutchouc, catechu, wood-oil, resin, natural varnish, bark, lac, mahua flowers, mahua seeds, kuth and myrobalans.
Trees and leaves, flowers and fruits, and all other parts or produce of trees.
Plants, which may include grass, creepers, reeds and moss, and all parts or produce of such plants (but not trees).
Wild animals and skins, tusks, horns, bones, silk, cocoons, honey and wax, and all other parts or produce of animals.
Peat, surface oil, rock and minerals, and all products of mines or quarries.

Revised Framework

The MSP for MFP scheme was initially launched in the year 2013, but certain gaps in its implementation rendered the programme dormant. For revitalizing the programme, revised MSPs are granted in the range of 30-40% on average; the procurement of which is proposed to be initiated in haat bazaars, where the tribal community would bring their produce with the facilitation provided by state government agencies and district collectors. To add to it, the recently introduced scheme has laid down a decentralized implementation framework. TRIFED, which is vested with the implementation of the scheme, has directed the states to submit within 45 days their unique procurement plans and the marketing of the produce from the village level to the state level.

Inclusion of Items

The Central Government has recently added nine new items to MSP for the Minor Forest Produce (MFP) scheme, thereby increasing the list of items to 49. The newly drafted items include Bakul (dried bark), Kutaj (dried bark), Noni/Aal (dried fruits), Sonapatha/Syonak pods, Chanothi seeds, Kalihari (dried tubers), Makoi (dried fruits), Apang plant and Sugandhrnantri roots/tubers.

The December Revision

Prior to the directive covered in this article, the Ministry notified the revision of 23 MFP items and introduced MSP for 17 new MFP items. It is noteworthy that the items revised during the stated period include those MFPs which has been a part of the scheme since it was first introduced in the year 2013-14.

MSP Rate List for MFPs

S. No	Name of MFP	MSP (INR per Kg)
1	Tamarind (with seeds)	31.00
2	Wild Honey	195.00
3	Gum Karaya	98.00
4	Karanj seeds	19.00
5	SAL Seed, also known as Shorea Robusta	20.00
6	Mahusa Seed	25.00
7	SAL leaves	30.00
8	Chironji pods with seeds	109.00
9	Myrobalan	15.00
10 (A)	Rangeeni Lac	130.00
10 (B)	Kusumi Lac	203.00
11	Kusum seeds	20.00
12	Neem seeds	23.00
13	Puwad seeds	14.00
14	Baheda	17.00
15	Hill Broom Grass	30.00
16	Dry Shikakai Pods	43.00
17	Beel Pulp (Dried)	27.00
18	Nagarmotha	27.00
19	Shatavari Roots (Dried)	92.00
20	Gudmar/Madhunashini	35.00
21	Kalmegh	33.00
22	Tamarind (De-seeded)	54.00
23	Guggul	700.00
24	Dried Mahua Flowers	17.00
25	Dried Tejpatta	33.00
26	Jamun dried seeds	36.00
27	Deseeded and Dried Amla Pulp	45.00
28	Marking Nit	8.00
29	Dried Soap Nut	12.00
30	Amaltas Bhava Seed	11.00
31	Arjuna Bark	18.00
32	Dry Kokum	25.00
33	Giloe	21.00
34	Kaunch Seed	18.00
35	Chirata	29.00
36	Vaybidding/Vavding (dry seeds)	81.00
37	Dhavaiphool dried flowers	32.00
38	Nux Vomica	36.00
39	Ban Tulsi Leaves (Dried)	19.00
40	Kshirni	30.00
41	Bakul (dried bark)	40.00
42	Kutaj (dried bark)	27.00
43	Noni/Aal (dried fruits)	15.00
44	Sonapatha/Syonak pods	18.00
45	Chanothi seeds	39.00
46	Kalihari (dried tubers)	27.00
47	Makoi (dried fruits)	21.00
48	Apang plant	24.00
49	Sugandhmantri roots/tubers	33.00

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