Context
Tribal communities in Koraput, Odisha are continuing their struggle for legal rights over kendu leaves for the third consecutive year.
About Kendu Leaf
- Kendu leaf (Tendu leaf), scientifically known as Diospyros melanoxylon, is a major non-wood forest product and is popularly called the “Green Gold of Odisha.”
- It is a nationalized forest product, similar to bamboo and sal seed, and plays a crucial role in the forest-based economy of Odisha.
- The leaves possess properties such as a natural compatibility with tobacco aroma and a hygroscopic nature, which helps them dry without cracking and makes them suitable for storage and use.
- Its primary use is in rolling bidis (traditional cigarettes), though it also has certain medicinal applications.
- Major producing states include Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat, with Odisha ranking as the third-largest producer.
- A distinct feature of Odisha’s production is that it undertakes processing of kendu leaves, unlike other states where such processing is not carried out.
- Legally, kendu leaf is classified as a Minor Forest Produce (MFP) under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, granting forest-dwelling communities certain rights over its collection and use.
