Minimum Support Price (MSP) to be implemented for Minor Forest Produces (MFP)
Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II – Welfare Schemes; Governance & GS-III – Minimum Support Price
In News:
Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) has asked the State Nodal Departments and Implementing Agencies to initiate procurement of Minor Forest Produces (MFPs) under Minimum Support Price for Minor Forest Produce Scheme.
Important value additions:
Minimum Support Price for Minor Forest Produce Scheme
The scheme for forest produce has been started with following objectives:
To provide fair price to the MFP gatherers and enhance their income level.
To ensure sustainable harvesting of MFPs.
To ensure huge social dividend for MFP gatherers, majority of whom are tribals.
Earlier, the scheme was only implemented in States having Schedule areas as listed in the Fifth Schedule of the constitution of India.
Since 2016, the scheme is applicable in all States.
Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED)
It came into existence in 1987.
It is a national-level apex organization.
The basic objective of the TRIFED is to provide good price of the ‘Minor Forest Produce (MFP) collected by the tribes of the country.
It functions under Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Govt. of India.
TRIFED has its Head Office at New Delhi.
It has a network of 13 Regional Offices located at various places in the country.
Minor Forest Produce (MFP)
Section 2(i) of the Forest Rights Act defines a Minor Forest Produce (MFP) as all non-timber forest produce of plant origin and includes bamboo, brushwood, stumps, canes, cocoon, honey, waxes, Lac, tendu/kendu leaves, medicinal plants etc.
The definition of “minor forest produce” includes bamboo and cane, thereby changing the categorization of bamboo and cane as “trees” under the Indian Forest Act 1927.
