Hike in kendu leaf collection price

The State government on Wednesday increased the price of kendu leaves to protect the interest of the lakhs of Kendu leaf pluckers in different regions of the State.

The price was hiked by five paise per bundle – from 29 paise per bundle of 20 leaves to 34 paise, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik told presspersons.

The decision to hike the Kendu leaf collection price was taken at a meeting of the Kendu Leaves Advisory Committee. The meeting was chaired by the Chief Minister.

A formal notification in this regard will be published before Jan. 31. The government claimed that the increase in the price will benefit more than seven lakh people, who were engaged in kendu leaf plucking in the State. Further, the government also raised the price of growers Kendu leaves from Rs. 1600 per quintal last year to Rs. 1900 for this year. The advisory committee was informed that a sum of Rs. 40 lakh had been distributed to the next of the kin of 80 Kendu leaf pluckers who lost their lives last year.

Printer friendly page