Kanpur In the dense forests of Bundelkhand, a long-forgotten treasure has re-emerged. Chironji trees, also known as cuddapah almonds, which had been unnoticed for over half a century, are now capturing the attention of the forest department.
Intriguingly, it was only recently that the forest department became aware about the five-decade old existence of these trees in the Vindhya mountain range. While local residents have been harvesting Chironji fruits for years, it’s the first time that the department has taken the initiative to collect and process the Chironji seeds.
Specifically, these trees are growing in the Fatehganj region of Banda district, with pockets of these trees scattered across Pathra, Kolhua, Kalinjar-Bahadurpur, Devali, Kharoch, Motiyari, Mahui, Khutla, and Naugaon.
The joint forest management committee of Dherwamanpur has been made responsible for the careful extraction of the edible Chironji seeds. The forest department plans to market this organic product under the name ‘Kalinjar Herb.’
The Chironji trees begin to bloom in February and bear fruit in April and May. By late May, the Chironji fruits fall from the trees. In the Kalinjar-Bahadurpur forest, Chironji fruits were collected for the first time in late May, resulting in the production of around one quintal of Chironji seeds.
It is estimated that by systematically harvesting the trees in the vast 500-hectare jungle area, more than 25 quintals of Chironji seeds can be obtained. Sanjay Agrawal, the district forest officer in Banda, said, “The Kalinjar-Bahadurpur forest and the surrounding areas of the Vindhya mountain range have a significant population of Chironji trees.”
{{/usCountry}}It is estimated that by systematically harvesting the trees in the vast 500-hectare jungle area, more than 25 quintals of Chironji seeds can be obtained. Sanjay Agrawal, the district forest officer in Banda, said, “The Kalinjar-Bahadurpur forest and the surrounding areas of the Vindhya mountain range have a significant population of Chironji trees.”
{{/usCountry}}With an estimated count of approximately 6,000 trees, the forest department is now engaged in the process of collecting Chironji from these trees for the first time. This essential task of harvesting and processing is being carried out through the joint forest management committee of Dherwamanpur. When the time comes, the product will be introduced to the market under the name ‘Kalinjar Herb,’ representing the rediscovered natural wealth of Bundelkhand.