Chhattisgarh Tribal Forest Honey Kanker District

Wild forest honey collected by tribal communities (Gond, Baiga, Kamar) in the moist deciduous forests of Kanker, Kankeri, and Balod districts of Chhattisgarh is a premium artisanal product derived from Apis dorsata (giant honey bee) and Apis cerana (Asian honey bee) colonies nesting in cliff faces, hollow logs, and tall forest trees in the Satpura-Maikal range biodiversity hotspot. Forest honey from this region has distinctive floral character from the diverse forest flora including Mahua, Tendu, Kendu, Sal, and wild medicinal plants. Honey hunters use traditional rope-and-torch methods: bamboo ropes allow skilled climbers to reach elevated combs at dusk, smoldering bark torches smoke the bees away temporarily, and woven bamboo baskets collect the harvested comb sections. The honeycomb is filtered through cotton cloth without heating — preserving enzymes, pollen, and volatile aromatics lost in heat processing. Forest honey from scheduled tribal forest zones is collected under the Forest Rights Act 2006 provisions recognizing tribal communities' rights to non-timber forest produce. Chhattisgarh Minor Forest Produce Federation procures honey from tribal self-help groups at MSP and markets under the Bastar Honey brand nationally. TRIFED's Tribes India outlets sell premium Bastar forest honey online and through airport retail. Organic certification through forest department and Participatory Guarantee System adopted by tribal cooperatives for export market.