NEW DELHI, 1 May 2020: In a crucial announcement affecting the livelihoods of tribal gatherers, the ministry of tribal affairs today revised the minimum support price (MSP) for minor forest produce (MFP) of 49 items.

The order issued by the pricing cell constituted under ministry states that the MSP for MFPs is revised once in every three years.

The produce includes, tamarind with seeds, wild honey, mahua seeds, sal leaves, sal seeds, kusmi lac, rangeeni lac, guggul among others.

It further states that however, in view of the exceptional and very difficult circumstances currently prevailing in the country on account of COVID 19 pandemic and the potential of the instant scheme to offer the much needed support to the tribal MFP gatherers, the competent authority has decided to relax the existing provisions in the scheme guidelines and effect revision of MSP in respect of the MFP items currently covered under the scheme after the due consultation with MFP Pricing Cell.

The increase across various items of minor forest produce ranges from 16% to 66%.

The increase is expected to provide an immediate and much needed momentum to procurement of Minor Tribal Produce in at least 20 states.

Here are the complete details of the increase in MSP of minor produce.