MAHUA 

3. Uses

• Like Mahua flowers, mahua seeds are non-timber forest products.
• A major portion of the seeds collected by the tribals is solid in the one or two oil presses of nearby towns & the rest is for household consumption.
• The oil from the seed is used to light lamps or in cooking.
• It is used for treating skin disease, rheumatism, bilious fever, and constipation among other things.
• Seeds & flowers are galactagogues which boost breast milk production & are good for new mothers.
• After oil extraction, the leftover seed cake is utilised as an insecticide, cattle feed or manure.

4. Backed by Science

• The seeds yield 34-37% of oil.
• Locals use the oil as an adulterant of 'Ghee' after some rudimentary processing.
• World Health Organization (WHO) don't consider this as edible in its raw form, as it contains aflatoxin, a toxic component.
• The processing of the oil can get rid of the aflatoxin & makes it edible as per safety standards.
• More than oil, the cocoa butter extender prepared from mahua seed oil is a prized product, which is used to make chocolate / other confectionaries.
• This oil is a potent biodiesel. The researchers have developed & tested the Mahua Oil Biodiesel (MOB) with promising results.
• These products offer a wonderful scope that can alter the socio-economic conditions of the tribal communities.
• The fuel properties adhere to international quality standards.
• MOB or blends of MOB with diesel is a good competitor for diesel, with reliable performance & lower emissions.
• The flour prepared with the leftovers is suitable for making bakery products.
• Due to the presence of foaming agents, it is used for preparing laundry soaps.
• A few studies have identified the chemical components of the seeds & developed bio-insecticides & bio-pesticides.

5. Boon / Ban

• India has a huge opportunity to materialise the potential of mahua seeds, but there remain some serious caveats.

• For mahua oil or butter, research hasn't shown us any direction, but the existing market for them has. There exists a non-tribal market for mahua oil and butter.
• Anyone can buy it from leading E-Commerce sites, where mahua oil price varies from Rs.65 - Rs.1700 per litre, presumably depending on its usefulness and quality, and mahua butter is available at Rs.125 per 100 grams.
• If this non-tribal market base can be expanded and popularised, then it can provide better economic opportunities to the Adivasis. Considering they will receive a fair share of the profit, it can strengthen and sustain their traditional livelihoods.

6. Excess

• Mahua is a slow-growing tree and its population is declining in multiple pockets throughout its range.
• It's been speculated that seed harvesting practices by Adivasi communities may be the reason for this decline.
• The ripe mahua fruits fall from the trees and tribals collect these seeds from the ground below the canopy where the chances of seed germination and seedling survival are negligible.

• If not collected, the seeds are going to rot & not add to the population.
• Since the oil content of mature seeds is higher, fruits were not plucked.
• The seed harvesting practice is very much non-invasive for the trees & highly sustainable.

7. Epilogue

• The composite picture is bright & not gloomy. It can be concluded that at least seed harvest is not detrimental to the mahua population.
• Many seeds are left untouched & not grazed.
• There lies an opportunity to encash the non-tribal market for mahua seed-derived products, without exerting any impact on trees.
• Eliminating the exploitation & realising the outside market presents a win-win opportunity for the tribals & trees will go a long way.
• Mahua is an immensely important tree species for the functioning of the dry forest ecosystem & for the Adivasis.
• Since mahua trees are maintained as an agroforestry practice, it helps to maintain the local biodiversity.

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