Korba: Mahua is mainly used for the manufacture of liquor. Now the same Mahua is going to get a new identity (Mahua of Chhattisgarh exported abroad). The smell of a special type of food graded Mahua in Chhattisgarh will reach abroad through the borders of the state and the country. In fact, Chhattisgarh Minor Forest Produce Committee, Raipur has signed a contract with a United Kingdom (UK) company to export Mahua. For which the work of collecting Mahua has been started in village Badmar and Katghora forest division’s village Jatga Vanopaj Samiti under Korba forest division of Korba district. Soon it will be collected and dried and exported to the UK.
Why Chhattisgarh’s Mahua is special: Along with Korba and Katghora forest divisions, a UK company has contracted for food-grade Mahua with a total of 9 forest divisions of the state. Mahua is being collected by planting a net under 550 trees in Badmar village of Korba forest division. This Mahua is of much better quality than ordinary Mahua. Because it falls on the net instead of falling on the ground. Due to which this Mahua does not shatter or break by falling on the ground and neither do insects get in them. Therefore the demand for food grade Mahua has increased in foreign countries. In the coming time, the business of food grade Mahua will be a profitable deal in Chhattisgarh.
Chhattisgarh.Mahua being sold at 4 times higher rate: UK company has demanded 10 thousand quintals of Mahua from the State Forest Produce Cooperative Society. Although the rate of normal mahua is fixed at Rs 3600 per quintal, but the UK company is giving Rs 15,000 per quintal for this to the State Forest Produce Cooperative Society. Along with Korba district, more than 5 lakh quintals of Mahua flowers are collected across the state. People of Vananchal region should get more benefits, that is why the collection of food-grade Mahua has been started.
Biscuit and laddus are made from Mahua: Till now the name of Mahua has come to the fore only for raw liquor. Mahua was known only for alcohol, but now extremely nutritious items like laddus, juices, biscuits, chocolates, pickles and jams are also being made from it. Mahua is a highly suitable and quality food item for all these products. Even about 1 year ago from now, the women’s group of village Koi made Mahua Laddu and sent it to Raipur, Bangalore and Delhi.
Demand for dried Mahua increased: In this regard, Korba Forest Division DFO Priyanka Pandey says that when Mahua is wet and fresh, it is bought at the rate of Rs 10 per kg. After drying 4 to 5 kg of wet mahua, only 1 kg remains. This dried Mahua is being bought at a support price of Rs 33 per kg. Dryer is used to dry food grade Mahua. It is dried properly, so that it does not spoil and its nutritional value and quality is maintained. Because of this also its demand has increased to foreign countries. That is, Korba’s Mahua will become a good means of business in the coming times. Food grade Mahua is being stored in a special way. This is the reason that its quality is much better than mango mahua.