Minor Forest Produce procurement at MSP plunges over 92 pc in 2024–25

Government procurement of MFP (Minor Forest Produce) at MSP (Minimum Support Price) saw a steep decline in 2024–25, with the quantity procured across 19 States dropping by more than 92 per cent compared to the previous year, according to data tabled in Parliament on 5 February.

Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram placed the data before the Lok Sabha in a written reply to a question by Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

The Ministry informed the House that it had, “till date”, released Rs 319.65 crore to State governments for procurement of MFP at MSP, and shared State-wise procurement figures for the past three years.

The data showed that in 2022–23, States procured 26,744 metric tonnes (MT) of MFP at MSP, valued at about Rs 94.23 crore. Procurement nearly doubled in 2023–24, with over 51,400 MT procured, worth around Rs 124.3 crore.

In contrast, procurement in 2024–25 fell sharply to just 3,920.2 MT, valued at approximately Rs 16.68 crore. The government’s reply did not provide any explanation for the sharp decline.

The fall was, however, uneven across States. While Mizoram, Nagaland, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Gujarat reported an increase in procurement during 2024–25, States such as Odisha, Assam and Andhra Pradesh recorded a decrease.

Gandhi had sought details on the Ministry of Tribal Affairs’ efforts to strengthen MSP procurement of MFP, data on procurement so far, the number of beneficiaries linked through self-help groups, and plans to expand the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Ltd.

In response, the Minister said the Ministry had notified 87 types of MFP eligible for MSP procurement, up from 10 in 2013–14. He added that “funds generated from the sale of procured MFPs are deposited back in the revolving funds by the State Governments”.

Oram further informed the House that since 2019–20, the Ministry had sanctioned Rs 612.12 crore for setting up 4,125 Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDVKs) as clusters of self-help groups to aid marketing of forest produce.

Under the targeted scheme saturation programme for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups, an additional Rs 22.98 crore had been sanctioned to establish 539 VDVKs. Together, these centres are supporting about 12.79 lakh tribal members nationwide.

On retail outreach, the Minister said the TRIFED currently operates 116 Tribes India outlets across the country — including 101 own stores, nine franchise stores and six consignment outlets — but added that “as of now, there is no proposal to expand the network of TRIFED retail outlets”.

Replying to a constituency-specific query, the government said no proposal had been received for the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency for procurement of MFP at MSP under the PMJVM scheme.