Keonjhar: Black berries grown in Keonjhar have high demand in other districts and states. These are mostly collected by poor tribals from forests and road side trees. It’s a good source of seasonal earning for them. But they fear they may lose these small earnings because the number of black berry trees has been declining.
“Due to expansion of road projects, a large number of trees which used to be on road sides have been felled leading to a fall in black berry output and collection,” locals pointed out.
Though the Forest Department has been undertaking plantation drive, it is not planting black berry saplings. “Black berry is very good in taste and has medicinal properties. Black berries are now supplied to Bihar and West Bengal from here,” the locals added. Some traders said that black berries are sold for higher price than grapes in those states.
Though a large number black berry trees have been chopped off on road sides, these trees are still aplenty in forests and hilly areas of the district.
Locals said that during the royal regime, kings had got such trees planted along the roads and foot tracks. However, over the years, they had to make way for dams, mining, new roads, bridges and other infrastructure.
The tribals, after collecting black berries from nearby forests and road sides, bring them to market places and sell them packed in leaf-bowls for Rs 10 to Rs 20 each. But traders buy a basketful or bagful of black berries for only Rs 100 to Rs 150. Then they
supply the berries to West Bengal and Bihar where they make huge profits. “There, mostly diabetic patients demand the berries. Every year, traders come here and buy our berries,” said Alekh Yadav, a local resident.
Assistant Ayurvedic doctor Prashant Kumar Deo said black berries are very effective to control diabetes. Its seeds are more effective.”
There is a need for the administration to ensure fair price for the berries tribals collect, said some local activists.
PNN