Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Context: In Koraput district, Odisha, 4,000 tribal farmers are facing a critical delay as they await approval from the forest department to sell kendu leaves worth Rs 34 lakh.
About Kendu Leaf:
Kendu leaf, known as the green gold of Odisha, is a nationalized product like bamboo and sal seed. It is a vital non-wood forest product, also referred to as tendu leaf, used for rolling bidis (local cigarettes). Major producing states include Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Gujarat, and Maharashtra, with Odisha being the third-largest producer.
Source: DTE
