Jharigaon: Jharigaon block in Nabarangpur district is a tribal-dominated and rainfed region where farmers primarily depend on rainwater for cultivation. Apart from paddy, maize, mahua flowers, and tamarind are the main alternative cash crops.
For villages surrounded by forests and hills, forest-based produce like mahua flowers serve as a crucial source of income, particularly for small farmers and tribal communities. However, the lack of proper selling options has become a major hurdle for local mahua collectors. Currently, they are forced to sell mahua flowers at a meager rate of Rs 2= to Rs25 per kilogram, which is significantly low compared to the labor involved.
Call for Government Intervention in Mahua Trade
Mahua collectors are now demanding that the government set up an official procurement system to ensure fair pricing. In 2002, the Odisha government empowered Gram Panchayats to determine the purchase price of minor forest produce, including mahua flowers. However, only licensed traders are allowed to procure mahua from Panchayats, leaving many tribal people unaware of the official pricing system.
Due to this lack of awareness, middlemen exploit the situation by purchasing mahua at lower prices, hoarding it, and later selling only a small portion to government agencies for show. This disrupts the fair pricing system and forces local collectors to sell their produce for survival rather than profit.
Price Manipulation and the Role of Middlemen
Although there are district-level committees (comprising public representatives and government officials) responsible for setting the official purchase price, violations are widespread. In remote villages, middlemen buy mahua at lower rates, store it, and manipulate the market. Meanwhile, the price of mahua-based products continues to rise.
For the tribal and rural communities of Jharigaon, mahua collection is a key economic activity that helps maintain financial stability. However, the distress sale of mahua is worsening their hardships. Earlier, district administrators held committee meetings before the collection season to decide procurement policies, but in recent years, small-scale traders have started buying mahua directly from villages before any official price is fixed.
As a result, tribal collectors are unable to get the fair price set by the government, affecting their livelihoods and household income. If the district administration takes strict action against illegal buyers and ensures proper government procurement, tribals and local collectors can get fair value for their mahua flowers and improve their financial conditions.