What is MFP?

• ‘Minor Forest Produce (MFP)’ means all non-timber forest produce of plant origin and will include bamboo, canes, fodder, leaves, gums, waxes, dyes, resins and many forms of food including nuts, wild fruits, Honey, Lac, Tusser etc. The Minor Forest Produces provide both subsistence and cash income for people who live in or near forests.
• The Minor Forest Produce has significant economic and social value for the forest dwellers as an estimated 100 Million people derive their source of livelihood from the collection and marketing of Minor Forest Produce (Report of the National Committee on Forest Rights Act, 2011).

Why in News?

• The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has announced inclusion of 23 additional Minor Forest Produce items under the scheme “Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce through Minimum Support Price and development of Value chain for MFP”.
• This  decision makes  the coverage from the existing  50 to 73 items in view of currently prevailing in the country on account of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Reference:

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1627631