MoU with Dabur to procure forest areas in Odisha

Koraput Forest Development Agency (KFDA) has signed an MoU with Dabur India Limited to procure minor forest produces (MFP) from tribals for 2013-14.

This will help tribals in the south Odisha district in getting a remunerative price for their produces.

"Earlier, middlemen used to exploit the tribals. Agents roaming in rural areas procure MFP from tribals at a very low price and sell those to companies at a much higher price. Now the tribal will sell it directly to companies and there will be no role of middlemen," said Chief Operating Officer of KFDA-cum DFO, Koraput Bijaya Kumar Panda.

Dabur will procure at least 5,000 kg of Amla (Rs 43.25 a kg), 3,000 kg of Dhatki (18.75 a kg), 2,000 kg of Harida (20.50 a kg), 5,000 kg of Satavari (83.75 a kg), 4,000 kg of Bahada (Rs 15.50 a kg) from at least 40 Vana Surakhya Samiti's (VSS) of the district in the next one year, he said.

"The price for various MFP which has been fixed is 50 percent more than the price at which the tribals had sold the MFP last year. As many as five VSS of Laxmipur forest range has been selected as nodal VSS for collection and marketing of MFP after collecting it from other VSS," he said.

"Dabur has agreed to provide advance payment of Rs 50,000 to each of the five nodal VSS and also impart appropriate training to VSS members about how to collect and store the MFP so that there is minimum loss," he added.

National Medicinal Plants Board had facilitated the MoU and will provide Rs 10 lakh to each of the five nodal VSS for construction of godowns and drying yards. "If any other company agrees to procure MFP at fixed price or at a higher rate it could also considered," Panda said.