Maha govt sweetens the deal for organic farmers

Want to buy organic jamun, palash, and karvi honey? The state forest department has extended a helping hand to the villagers of Maharashtra’s hinterlands for branding and marketing their produce in cities like Mumbai and Pune.

This will act as a fresh source of livelihood for people residing in the remote Kandati Khore in Satara district, which is part of the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve’s (STR) buffer area. These villagers, who lack access to modern amenities, depend on paddy farming to sustain themselves and are forced to migrate to cities to earn a living.

“These are very remote villages…the project, still in its initial phase, will ensure sustainable livelihoods,” said V Clement Ben, Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) and Project Director, STR.

The honey will be marketed by the Village Development Committees (VDCs) under the brand name ‘Sahyadri honey’.

The project, under which villagers have been given honey collection boxes at subsidised rates, is being implemented under the Shyamaprasad Mukherjee Jan Van Yojana and villagers have already collected 1,600 kg honey. Some beneficiaries will be trained to operate the honey processing unit, which costs around Rs 5.50 lakh and may be installed in around two months in Kandat village.

The department is collaborating with Pune’s Central …read more