Tendu Patta Beedi Leaf Collection Seoni Madhya Pradesh

Tendu (Diospyros melanoxylon) is a medium-sized deciduous forest tree whose leaves — broad, oval, and with good natural moisture retention — are used as the outer wrapping of beedis (hand-rolled leaf cigarettes), India's most widely consumed tobacco product. Tendu leaf collection is the single most important minor forest produce livelihood for tribal and forest-dwelling communities in the Central Indian forest belt, involving approximately 10 million collectors across Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra. In Madhya Pradesh, tendu leaf is a nationalized commodity managed by the Madhya Pradesh Minor Forest Produce Federation and the state government. Every year from April to June (the main collection season), tribal communities collect the newly sprouted green leaves by hand from forest trees, bundle them into packets of 50 to 80 leaves, and dry them in shade. State-organized purchase centers buy the dried bundles at minimum support price fixed annually by the state government. Collection rights within specific forest zones are assigned to registered collector families by the Van Suraksha Samiti (forest protection committee). Madhya Pradesh collects approximately 10 to 15 lakh standard bags of tendu leaves annually — worth approximately 3,000 to 4,000 crore rupees in procurement value. A portion of the proceeds goes to the forest protection committee for village development works.