Minimum Support Price Scheme for MFP
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 |
