International Forest Fair: Chhattisgarh Small Forest Produce Association First Prize in the Interstate Category

• 27 Dec 2022

Why In News?

Chhattisgarh State Small Forest Produce Association won the first prize in the inter-state category in the International Forest Fair held in Bhopal on December 26, 2022.

Key Points

• Forest Minister of Madhya Pradesh Kunwar Vijay Shah gave the first prize to Chhattisgarh Small Forest Produce Association for outstanding performance in display and sale of stalls in inter-state category.
• Significantly, the International Forest Fair was organized in Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh, from December 20 to 26.
• Chhattisgarh State Minor Forest Produce Special Managing Director S.S. Bajaj said that in the International Forest Fair, a stall was set up by the State Minor Forest Produce for display-cum-sale of more than 140 products.
• He said that the state of Chhattisgarh has received very good response in this International Forest Fair. Many business establishments have shown interest in purchasing Chhattisgarh's minor forest produce. Eight merchant organizations discussed and agreed to buy 200 tonnes of Kodo, Kutki, Ragi, Harra, Nagarmotha, Baheda, Kachariya Charota seeds, Giloy and other minor forest produce.
• A commercial agreement worth Rs 6 crore was signed between the Chhattisgarh Minor Forest Produce Association and the Madhya Pradesh Minor Forest Produce Association in the International Forest Fair based on the buyer-seller conference.
• The MoU was signed by Dr. Dilip Kumar, CEO, MPMFP on behalf of Chhattisgarh Forest Produce Association Special Managing Director SS Bajaj and Vindh Herbals.
• Apart from this, business agreements worth Rs 28 crore 50 lakh were also signed between MFPPARC and various institutions. In this way a total MoU of Rs 34.50 crore was signed.
• An MoU was signed for Mahua export from Bastar Food Chhattisgarh in the Minor Forest Produce based buyer-seller conference. This will prove to be helpful in the economic prosperity of the primary collectors and producers involved in the field of herbs in the coming times.
• Buyer-Seller Conference Retired Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Forest Force Chief of Madhya Pradesh H.R. Khare's main hospitality. In this, 140 participants from different parts of the state and the country interacted directly and 300 participants through video conference.
• Special Managing Director of Chhattisgarh Small Forest Produce Association S.S. Bajaj informed that the Government of Chhattisgarh is doing research on making jaggery from Mahua in collaboration with the Central Food Technological Institute, Mysore.