14 Minor Forest Produce Items Included under MSP Scheme

The Central government has announced to include 14 new minor forest produce items under the mechanism for the marketing of minor forest produce through MSP (minimum support price) scheme. This has been done to provide fair and remunerative prices to tribal gatherers of forest produces.

Key Points

• The newly included items include elephant apple dry, Tasar Cocoon, malkangani seed, bamboo shoot, and wild dry mushroom, etc.
• A minimum support price for a selected list of minor produce items through a mechanism for the marketing of Minor Forest Produce through MSP and development of Value Chain of MFP Scheme was introduced by the government in the year 2011.
• It is aimed at offering a social safety net to forest dwellers and empower them.

Minimum Support Price (MSP)

• The Minimum Support Price (MSP) is the price of agricultural products set by the government. A product cannot be bought at less than MSP.
• It was initially announced for wheat in 1966-67.
• The major aim is to safeguard the interests of the farmers by providing them correct prices for their produce.
• The central government sets MSP for 23 items that include pulses, cereals, oilseeds, and commercial crops.
• MSP is fixed twice a year on the recommendations provided by the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).

MFP through MSP

The mechanism for the Marketing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) through Minimum Support Price (MSP) is a centrally sponsored scheme. The scheme aims at providing fair prices for forest produce to tribals.