No takers for sal seeds in Chhattisgarh

Chhattisgarh is finding no buyer for the sal seeds due to lack of demand even as huge stock had been dumped in the godowns across the state.

The state produced about 8,80,000 tonnes of sal seeds during the collection season 2009. Despite inviting tenders on two occasions, state minor forest produce Cooperative Federation could dispose only a little more than 2,00,000 tonnes.

Sources in the federation said that in the first tender, traders quoted average rate of Rs 1075 per quintal. However, the rate came down sharply when the federation floated the second tender as traders quoted just Rs 650 for a quintal of sal seeds.

 

The traders who bagged the contract sealed deals with the federation. But they failed to take the delivery of the produce. In all, they lifted only 2,05,000 tonnes of sal seeds. A decrease in the market demand was cited as reason for failing to lift the stock.

"The federation had invoked the security deposits of the firms for failing to take the delivery of the stock," Managing Director of the Federation AK Singh said. A sum of about Rs 14 crore had been deposited as security deposits by the firms, he added.

The federation had now floated tender for the third time to sell remaining 6,80,000 tonnes of sal seeds that had been dumped in different godowns across the state.

Chhattisgarh forests are rich in minor forest produces. Sal seed is the principal minor forest produce in the state that has been endowed with Tendu Patta, Mohua, Harra, Amla, Achar, Gums, Lacs and many other medicinal plants.

Sal seed is basically used for the extraction of the oil, which is used mainly in manufacturing of chocolate and fashionable items.