First launched in 2013-14, the Minor Forest Produce scheme establishes safety-net prices where state agencies purchase forest goods directly at village haats whenever open-market valuations fall. The newly commissioned review will use ground surveys to devise robust pricing formulas for staple items like lac and gum while addressing recurrent market gluts. Lawmakers pushed for this intervention through parliamentary standing committee meetings on social justice and empowerment after years of neglected adjustments. Rates were last revised in May 2020, even though statutory guidelines explicitly mandate pricing updates every three years.
Key points
The central government plans to end a six-year freeze by raising support prices for minor…: The central government plans to end a six-year freeze by raising support prices for minor forest goods starting in the next financial year.
Members of parliament prompted the overhaul by warning that static price floors force tri…: Members of parliament prompted the overhaul by warning that static price floors force tribal households to sell their produce below fair value to middlemen.
The upcoming framework review will focus on rationalizing covered produce items, tackling…: The upcoming framework review will focus on rationalizing covered produce items, tackling market gluts, and establishing specialized pricing formulas for goods such as lac and gum.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
The tribal affairs ministry has asked The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) to study MFPs covered under the MSP framework and examine whether the list needs to be rationalised. TERI will conduct ground surveys to assess how the existing system can be tweaked to ensure better prices for tribals depending on forest produce for livelihood. According to sources, TERI will also work out a mechanism to ensure a periodic increase in MSP.
The government is likely to increase MSP from the next financial year, ending a six-year freeze on rates. The scheme, launched by the Congress-led UPA government in 2013-14, provides a guaranteed minimum price for identified forest produce collected by tribals, particularly those living in remote areas. The produce is sold at village haats, with state government agencies stepping in to procure it whenever market prices fall below the notified MSP.
A senior official told ET: "MSP needs to be rationalised because there are certain products that fetch a much higher price than what we have fixed. We need to understand what should be done in case of a…
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