The Kendu Leaf Trade: Problems & Prospects in Orissa - Vasundhara

In Kadamdihi phadi under Kadamdihi range, whereas only on 3 days bush
cutting has been carried out, the records show it as 12 days! Similar is the
case of Tamparkela phadi where bush cutting has been done for only 5
days but the records put it as 15 days!! Also in case of Bagdihi section,
signatures have been obtained by the Ranger for 15 days of bush cutting
whereas actual bush cutting took place only for 5 days. In this context the
Munshis who are not a party to the ‘profit’ express their inability to resist as
they fear loosing their jobs. Such type of corruption also exists in drying
and loading operations where the Munshis employ small school children
at very nominal rate (Rs. 3-4) for the purpose.(Report on the Feasibility of
KL Phadi Level Cooperitivisation, 2004 draft, p.13)
Some social scientists, who have closely seen the happenings at the grassroot level of KL
production, believe that cooperitivisation at phadi level can ensure a smooth, transparent and
better management of the phadi level activities which in turn can ensure better production and
sale both in the quantitative and qualitative sense. Current system purchases KL from the
pluckers on individual basis, but under the proposed system the government would purchase KL
from pluckers’ cooperatives to be created under the Self-Help Cooperative Act, 2001. Such
cooperatives would have no control on the sales, and their responsibility would be only upto the
stage of transferring the KL lots to the government for sale purpose. Hence, this cooperitivisation
would not threaten the government’s monopoly in sales; rather it would augment the efforts
made/required for better production and sale of KL in the state. This would also help check
corruption, and would also help develop a greater sense of responsibility among the pluckers.
The existing (only in name or in pen & paper) phadi committees are not expected to be able to
achieve this much.
There seems an increasing tendency in the KL wing to get excuses for most of its dissatisfactory
performances on the plea of the so called ‘dying trade’ of KL and policy changes in the
neighbouring states. But old purchasers say that some of the genuine the advantages, which were
available to them 15 or 20 years ago, are gone. For instance, earlier the bags(processed) used to
weigh almost 60 kg (net) even after the loss of moisture; but now the gross weight is 60 kg and
the net weight is coming to 52-53 kg(personal communication, Jaydev Dey, Kolkata).Similarly,
old lessees say that their system was more effective. For instance, phadis used to receive leaves
upto 15 th June unlike the practice of discontinuing procurement by the end of May. Of course,
changing times and changing situations might require new modalities; but if such modalities
cannot be as effective as the old ones, what is the use of adopting them
Regarding the changing situation, although targets are fixed to enhance the production of quality
leaves, there are some inherent problems, which need to be addressed. For example, closure of
phadis in sanctuary areas proved detrimental in some cases. Although the quantitative production
was not much affected due to such closures, qualitative production did suffer significant set back
in some areas. For instance, in Angul Division(KL), the closure of 21 phadis in the Purunagarh
and Narsinghpur Ranges is said to have reduced the production of quality leaves by about
50%.What is also significant in this regard is that although the phadis were closed in accordance
of the Wild Life Protection Act, 2002 to ensure uninterfered natural dynamics in the sanctuaries,
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