The collection of tendu leaves is in full swing in Chhattisgarh where 9 lakh standard bags of the leaves have arrived so far at different stock points set up by the state government.
"As of now, 9 lakh standard bags of tendu leaves have been collected at primary forest produce cooperative societies," Chhattisgarh State Minor Forest Produce (Trade and Development) Cooperative Federation's Managing Director Pradeep Pant said.
This year, the target has been set to disburse about Rs 250 crore to tendu leaves collectors, he said.
The collection is being done through as many as 31 district forest produce cooperative unions and 901 primary forest produce cooperative societies under which about 10,265 collection centres had been constituted, he added.
Chhattisgarh has been credited with producing the best quality of tendu leaves.
The potential of tendu leaves production in the state is approximately 15 to 20 lakh standard bags annually, Pant said.
The state government has hiked the tendu leaves collection rate from Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,500 per standard bag this year.
Tenduleaves are an integral part of life for forest dwellers and an important means of earning livelihood for lakhs of families, Pant added.
