The nets provided by the forest department not only save time and energy of flower pickers, but also enhance market value of the produce that has now bagged an international order&nbsp; Betul, Madhya Pradesh:&nbsp;Nisha Bele (37), a Korku tribal from Ratamati village in Betul district, distinctly remembers waking up
at the crack of dawn and engaging in work till the sun was over her head
in the sweltering summer to gather about 25 to 30 kg of&nbsp;mahua&nbsp;<span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; font-size: 20px;">flowers every day. The
fear of wild animals also preyed upon her as she toiled on the forest floor, a
part of Bhainsdehi forest range. <o:p></o:p>“The flowers had to be picked up one by one from the ground. The earlier
we reached, the better chance we had of finding a tree that had not been marked
by someone else for picking,” she tells&nbsp;101Reporters.<o:p></o:p>Now, she can gather the same quantity in about 15 to 20 minutes, thanks
to the Madhya Pradesh forest department's initiative to encourage net-quality&nbsp;mahua,
wherein nets are spread around the trees to catch the flowers as they fall naturally from the tree.<o:p></o:p>The small, yellowish-white flowers of mahua (Madhuca
longifolia) trees are known for their sweet fragrance. The flowers usually fall
between 4 am and 12 pm from mid-April to May. The tribals not only collect the flowers but also protect the&nbsp;trees as they are venerated in the community and hold a special place in their culture and customs. They do not cut or harm these trees. The Korku tribals have received community forest rights under the&nbsp;Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006. They also have protection under the&nbsp;Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996.&nbsp;&nbsp;Net-quality flowers are considered to be of a higher grade as they do
not fall on the forest floor, thus significantly reducing the risk of
contamination. The purity of flowers is also assured. They are used to produce
oil, food products and beverages such as&nbsp;mahua&nbsp;tea. “They fetch
us a higher price, too,” adds Bele. <o:p></o:p>In fact, impressed by the quality of&nbsp;mahua&nbsp;flowers collected
by the tribal communities in Madhya Pradesh, OForest, a UK-based company, had reached
an agreement by which the forest department will procure 200 tonnes of the
minor produce&nbsp;to fulfil the commitment by year-end.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>The company will process the flowers to make&nbsp;mahua&nbsp;tea,
which is said to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and can relieve
stress. The flowers will be dried and roasted to brew tea that has a slightly
sweet and nutty flavour. <o:p></o:p>Like in Betul, nets are used in&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>Hoshangabad and Sehore districts as well.&nbsp;“Our district bagged half&nbsp;of the 200-tonne order&nbsp;as
the&nbsp;mahua&nbsp;flowers found
in the forest ranges here are of excellent quality,” Vijay Nantam TR, District
Forest Officer (DFO), South Forest Division of Betul, tells 101Reporters.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>However, this time, the tribals were not very successful in delivering the committed volume due to less flower production triggered by climate change. The collectors’ collectiveThis is the first time that the villagers of Betul district are dealing
with such a large order for&nbsp;mahua flowers. <span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; font-size: 20px;">Together,&nbsp;Rateda Kala Samiti of&nbsp;<span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; font-size: 20px;">Amla range and Chandu Van Samiti of Bhainsdehi
range collect flowers from 1,250 trees by involving as many as 500 people. Four and eight villages coming under these respective ranges are part of the project.&nbsp;<div class="embed-container" align="center" style="line-height: 1;"><img src="https://assets.ramen.101reporters.com/inpic/2023/5/101RPT1644510/4.jpg" id="1669424" title="" style="width: 100%;">The state forest department, which is facilitating this deal, claims&nbsp;that products from the forests of Madhya Pradesh are fully organic by default and no chemicals are used during any stage of flower processing (Photos - Nandkishor Pawar, 101Reporters)</div><div class="embed-container" align="center"><img src="https://assets.ramen.101reporters.com/inpic/2023/5/101RPT1644510/2.jpg" id="1669425" title="" style="width: 100%;"></div><o:p></o:p>The collectors sun-dry the flowers, allowing them to wither
naturally. This step is crucial to preserve the flower’s aroma and flavour.
Once done, they are carefully packed and sent to the <span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; font-size: 20px;">head office of the forest department&nbsp;in
Bhopal, from where MP State Minor Forest Produce Federation takes charge of shipping the items internationally.Explaining how the high-quality mahua
order came about, Nantam says <span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; font-size: 20px;">Narmadapuram DFO DK Vasnik&nbsp;had sent a sample of 24 quintals to OForest Limited last year. “They tested the sample in their lab and made the purchase at
a rate of <span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; font-size: 20px;">Rs 110 per kg.”&nbsp; &nbsp;<o:p></o:p>Subsequently, during the van mela
held in Bhopal last December, the company entered into an agreement with the forest
department for the supply of 200 tonnes high-grade&nbsp;mahua flowers. “W<span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; font-size: 20px;">e are pushing for Rs 120 per kg
this year, though last time we got Rs 110,” he adds.&nbsp;&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>Nantam claims the forests of Madhya Pradesh are fully organic by default
and no chemicals are used during any stage of flower processing. "The
flowers&nbsp;are sourced through designated committees. The department helps
them collect it by providing nets."<div class="embed-container" align="center" style="line-height: 1;"><img src="https://assets.ramen.101reporters.com/inpic/2023/5/101RPT1644510/3.jpg" id="1669426" title="" style="width: 100%;">This is the first time that the villagers of Betul district are dealing with such a large order for mahua flowers&nbsp;(Photo - Nandkishor Pawar, 101Reporters)</div>Besides gainful employment, the initiative ensures competitive prices for the flower pickers. Earlier, they used to sell it for Rs 25 to 30 per kg to local buyers or community members,&nbsp;who would consume it directly or use it for brewing liquor.As providing&nbsp;mahua&nbsp;flowers to the designated committees
is more lucrative now, the villagers are no longer inclined to brew and sell illegal
mahua liquor in rural areas. This
could have unforeseen positive effects in the form of reduction in crime rates
and migration in search of employment.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>To prepare for the rainy season, some members of the households would usually
migrate to neighbouring Maharashtra and Rajasthan in summer to work as farm
labourers or at construction sites. The new initiative provides them with
employment back home. Though tendupatta
is also collected during summers, more tribals are involved in&nbsp;mahua&nbsp;flower
picking due to its lucrativeness and the scale of the order received.<o:p></o:p>“The forest department has assigned 200 mahua trees to 68 people who are part of Chandu Van Samiti in our village. The nets were also provided on behalf of the committee. We have been told that the
flowers will be initially bought for&nbsp;Rs&nbsp;35 per kg. <span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; font-size: 20px;">Later,
we will get a bonus<span style="font-size: 20px; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">,” says Ratamati resident and flower
picker Hansraj Dahikar.&nbsp;For example, if the packaging and logistics took Rs 15 per kg, then the cost incurred will be Rs 50 (35+15). If the flowers are sold for Rs 110, a bonus of Rs 60 would be handed over to the committee. If a flower picker had collected 10 kg, he/she will get Rs 600 as bonus.&nbsp;&nbsp;“The forest department has opened a new door before us. People are getting employed through this initiative,” says Jagdish Nagle, another resident. Edited by Tanya ShrivastavaCover photo - The nets make the gathering of fallen mahua&nbsp;flowers easier and quicker and minimise the chance of contamination (Photo - Nandkishor Pawar, 101Reporters)