Western Ghats Kokum Foundation - Organic Farming Association of ...

at the household level, and sold to local factories and to contractors. There is also no
information on the quantity of murgalu sold outside the district.
There have been isolated studies on different aspects related to Kokum such as
distribution, density, regeneration, fruit production from trees, and quantities of murgalu
extracted and income generated by people etc. However, comprehensive .study on all these
aspects at the district level is lacking.
Some Observations Related to Kokum in Uttara Kannada Distribution: Trees of
Kokum are distributed in nine Western Ghats taluka of the district.
Plantation and Cultivation: People protect trees of murgalu. However, there has been no
attempt by people of growing murgalu on large scale. Forest Department also has not done
regeneration attempts on a major scale though seedlings of murgalu are included in
planting activity by the Department under afforestation programme. In addition, generally
survival and growth of these seedlings on KFD plantations have been poor and no
systematic study is carried out on this aspect.
Collections and Harvest: In majority cases, households and primary collectors harvest
ripened fruits without causing much destruction to trees.
Processing and Value Addition: Seeds and rind are separated and dried under the sun.
Dried rind is stored for future use by households; part of it is used for extracting syrup
which is bottled and stored while remaining part is sold in the local market or to contractor.
Seeds are stored and later oil (Kokum butter) is from extracted from seed kernels by boiling
them with water.
Under contract system, primary collectors at the village level harvest fruits from
forests, separate rind from seeds, process- them by sun drying and sell them to contractor.
Major portion of this quantity is sold outside the district.
Private entrepreneurs in the district (like the one at Gokarna) extract syrup on a
much larger scale, and sell them in bottles or cans within the district and even outside.
Kokum butter is mainly used at the household level.
Household Income from Sale: There is high variation in the price of murgalu product in
the market. Though it observed that household income from all NWFPs varies between
10% and 25% of total income, contribution from murgalu product in it is not available.
Future Prospects: There is immense scope for propagation of Kokum in eleven districts of
Karnataka and in most area of Uttara Kannada. Until recently the fruits and seeds of this
species had importance only at the household level. Now, it has importance at the
commercial market. With the availability of vast area of suitable forests and private lands,
and sufficient planting material an efficient approach towards propagation and cultivation
of Kokum and raising of plantation should be emphasized for generation of employment as
well as income for the community.
All agencies involved in conservation and promotion of Kokum should come
together to take up a systematic assessment of the existing, natural stand of Garcinia indica
tree population, status of regeneration, production, and extractable quantity of fruits and
its sustainable management in Western Ghats.
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Resource Book on Kokum (Garcinia indica Choisy)
Western Ghats Kokum Foundation, Panaji - Goa