Abstract

Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the cultivation and utilization practices of chironji (Buchanania lanzan) in the Satpuda mountain region, an underutilized but valuable dry nut fruit crop.

Materials and Methods: Ten various villages and forest areas of Dhadgoan tahsil of Nandurbar district were selected. The study utilized a sample size of 50 chironji tribal sellers, selected through proportionate random sampling. Data was collected using a well-constructed and pre-designed interview schedule.

Results: The experiment revealed that all respondents manually harvested chironji fruits by shaking the trees once they reached maturity. A majority (76%) used traditional methods, operating small stone Chakkis to decorticate 10-15 kg of seeds daily, while 20% used locally fabricated motorized equipment to process 40-50 kg of seeds per day. Regarding marketing, all sellers pack the kernels in polythene bags and sell them to village merchants or local retailers, with no use of ICT for marketing purposes. Additionally, 80% of respondents utilized chironji kernels to prepare traditional sweets.

Conclusion: It was concluded that dependence on traditional techniques is underscore for harvesting, processing and marketing, highlighting opportunities for modernization to enhance the value and market reach of chironji.

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