TRIBAL WOMEN SET UP A COMPANY WORTH CRORES BY SELLING HERBAL POWDER

Tribal women selling herbal powder by forming a company, annual turnover exceeds one crore

Some tribal women of Sheopur district located in Gwalior region of Madhya Pradesh have written a new story of self-reliance. She is now running her own company. Proudly manufactures powders of herbs and supplies to companies manufacturing ayurvedic products. The turnover of his company has reached one crore rupees annually. Now his profit has almost doubled. The name of the company of these women is Saharia Mahila Minor Forest Produce Storage Producer Limited. Six thousand women are associated with this company, who are removing the financial problems of their families.

Government scheme help 

The story begins in the forests of Karahal-Vijaipur in Sheopur district. Jamuna tribals and some other tribal women used to bring herbs from these forests, make powder and sell them at retail to local traders at very low prices. Dr. SK Mudgal, District Project Officer of MP Aajeevika Mission came to know about this. According to Dr. Mudgal, from the year 2016, the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India had started a special program to improve the condition of tribal women. Under this, an organization named Access Development Service of Delhi provided training to these Sahariya tribal women for three months in Bhopal, Jabalpur, Sawai Madhopur (Rajasthan) etc. for the identification of herbs and their specialty. After this the women formed the Saharia Mahila Minor Forest Produce Producer Limited Company. 

Equal share of profit 

Jamuna became the director of the tribal company and made six women members. Then six thousand women were made share holders in the company by taking Rs 100-100. Together they entered into contracts to find the herb, make its powder and sell it to big companies. The result was that now the annual turnover of the company is one to 1.25 crore rupees. Out of this, the amount of profit is distributed among all the six thousand shareholder women.

Used to get less money in retail business 

In Sheopur district, 48 collection centers have been set up to buy herbs. Here women buy herbs on commission basis and sort them and send them to the warehouse, where they are then sorted and packed into powder of the best herbs. Jamuna Adivasi, director of the company, says that earlier local traders used to take powder from 50 to 70 rupees per kg, now big companies give 100 to 150 rupees per kg.

A decoction worth Rs 12 lakh sold during the Corona period 

These women came from the forest Amla, Bael, Bell pulp, Bahera, Dhawda Gum, Salai Gum, Shatavar, Van Tulsi, Bhringraj, Shankhpushpi, Dhencha, Gudmar leaves, Chir Gum, Giloy, Ashwagandha, Mahua and many other types of plants and herbs. - Stores herbs. During the Corona period, when the work was stopped due to not being able to reach the powder companies, then these women, showing understanding, prepared an immunity-boosting decoction of herbs and sold a decoction worth more than Rs 12 lakh in two months.
Earlier we used to sell the powder to local traders, then we get less profit, now if we sell it to big companies, we get double the price. About eight thousand women are getting benefits directly or indirectly from this. It is like a dream come true of us tribal women.