Non-Timber Forest Products play a very important role in the rural economy of our country. They include a host a medicinal plants that are used by the industry in formulations of medicines and health formulations like Chyavanprash. Most of such products are collected by the tribal and villagers residing in and around the forests. Apart from retaining a part for their own use, a significant quantum of the produce collected is sold in local market, mandis, mostly for a pittance to the middlemen who sell them at a premium to the industry. In this trade, it is generally felt that the primary collector is not rewarded suitably for his enterprise.

Although the market prices of the NTFPs are available from a host of sources, a single portal providing the information is not available. ICFRE has initiated a programme to develop such a system where market prices of selected Non-Timber Forest Products are available on its website for general information to the public. We are aware that the primary collectors may not have access to the type of communication essential for accessing this system. The system is aimed at providing information to the NGOs, departments and other organizations working with the forest villagers and tribal community so that the implementation of programmes pertaining to this aspect becomes more meaningful.

This is the first hosting of the prices collected from various sources like markets, websites and telephonic conversations. As a start, 20 commercially important non-nationalized have been listed and it is endeavored that the list will expand to include more and more species as the survey progresses. Your comments and suggestions are welcome.

Development Objective

Development of a Price Dissemination System in respect of trade in NWFPs with an aim to prevent economic losses to the primary collector and cultivator by possible reduction in the middleman interface.

• Development of a market price monitoring system of non-nationalized NWFPs traded on a commercial scale.
• Development of a compendium of utilization of non-nationalized NWFPs traded on a commercial scale.
• Development of an interface of price dissemination on the web portal of ICFRE and strategize the dissemination to the end-users.

1. Katni
2. Mansa
3. Betul
4. Jagdalpur