Parliament Question: Inter-State Trade

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT FOR PROMOTION OF INDUSTRY AND INTERNAL TRADE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3872.

TO BE ANSWERED ON TUESDAY, THE 11TH AUGUST, 2026.

INTER-STATE TRADE

3872. SHRI MAHESH KASHYAP:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY be pleased to state: वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्री

(a) whether the Government is implementing any special scheme to promote inter- State trade of Mahua, Tamarind, Tendu leaves, Lakh, Honey, Bamboo and other minor forest produce from Bastar;

(b) whether there is any proposal to develop a common marketing system for agricultural and forest produce among the bordering States;

(c) whether a proposal to set up an inter-State trade centre for agricultural and forest produce in Bastar is under consideration; and

(d) if so, the details thereof? ANSWER वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्रालय में राज्य मंत्री (श्री णिणिन प्रसाद) THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (SHRI JITIN PRASADA)

(a) to (d): The Government, through the Ministry of Tribal Affairs/TRIFED, supports procurement, value addition and marketing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) under the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission (PMJVM). Under the Scheme, Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) have been notified for 87 MFP items, including Mahua, Tamarind, Lac and Honey, and are applicable across States, including the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh. The designated State Implementing Agency (SIA) in Chhattisgarh undertakes procurement of MFPs.

Van Dhan Vikas Kendras and related infrastructure are also supported for value addition and strengthening market linkages.

The Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare implements relevant schemes and platforms for production, aggregation, value addition, infrastructure and market access. These includes:- i. National Beekeeping & Honey Mission (NBHM): NBHM is implementing through the National Bee Board. It supports scientific beekeeping as well as collection, processing, marketing, branding and value addition of honey. Project-based assistance is also available for Integrated Beekeeping Development Centres, honey testing laboratories, processing units and collection/branding/packaging facilities.ii. National Bamboo Mission (NBM): The Mission follows an end-to-end value-chain approach covering bamboo cultivation on eligible non-forest land, aggregation, processing, value addition and marketing, with FPOs/cooperatives/SHGs and industry linkages. Chhattisgarh is specifically among the bamboo-rich States covered under the Mission.

iii. e-NAM: e-NAM is the pan-India electronic trading platform intended to facilitate inter-State trade in agricultural commodities. Importantly for this PQ, the notified/tradable commodity list includes Tamarind, Mahua Flower, Mahua Seed, Bamboo and Raw Honey. Thus, the platform itself can provide a mechanism for inter-State market access where the concerned produce is brought within the applicable State/APMC/e-NAM framework.

iv. Formation & Promotion of 10,000 FPOs: The scheme supports aggregation, trading, value addition, processing, digital commerce, market linkages and export promotion. Its operational guidelines specifically provide for prioritisation of FPOs in notified tribal areas for forest and minor forest produce, making this particularly relevant for Bastar.

v. Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF): AIF supports financing of post- harvest management and supply-chain infrastructure including storage, processing, grading and logistics. It can therefore complement development of aggregation/marketing facilities for eligible agricultural produce, though it does not itself amount to sanction of a dedicated Inter-State Trade Centre in Bastar.

At present, no separate scheme exclusively for promoting inter-State trade of MFP from Bastar, or any specific proposal for setting up an Inter-State Trade Centre for agricultural and forest produce in Bastar, is under consideration with this Department. However, interventions for value addition and market linkage of locally available agricultural and minor forest produce, including the TRIFOOD facility at Jagdalpur, Bastar have been undertaken.

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