Sal Leaf Value Chain
Maa Durgadevi Producer Company Limited (MDPCL), based in Udala, Mayurbhanj district, Odisha, operates a successful, community-owned value chain for bio-degradable sal leaf (Shorea robusta) plates and bowls.
Serving as the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) under the Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI) funded by the Ministry of MSME, MDPCL has organized over 2,300 tribal women and Self-Help Group (SHG) members into shareholder-owners.
Sustainable Collection (Forest & Village Level)
Harvesting: Tribal women collect dry sal leaves daily from nearby forests (such as the peripheral areas of the Similipal Biosphere Reserve).
Ecological Safeguards: Collection techniques ensure that young leaves and growing shoots are untouched to maintain sustainable forest ecology.
Volume: A single collector gathers around 1,500 to 2,000 leaves during early morning hours.
Women arrange and stitch 4–6 leaves together using thin bamboo or neem twigs to form flat mats.
Sorting: Leaves are sorted by size and texture (smaller leaves reserved for bowls/cups, larger for dining plates).
Bundling: Stitched mats are tied into standard bundles (typically 100 stitched leaves per bundle).
Bundles are brought to local village collection centers managed by local SHG leaders.
FPO Logistics Network: Logistics vehicles owned or operated by MDPCL collect bundles directly from village points, eliminating intermediaries and ensuring fair pay to collectors.
Secondary Processing at the Common Facility Centre (CFC)
At the central facility in Udala, raw stitched mats are converted into finished commercial products:
Machine Fine-Stitching: Women use motorized sewing machines for perimeter trimming and edge reinforcing.
Heat Hydraulic Pressing: The leaf mats are combined with a thin eco-friendly paper backing and placed under heated hydraulic die molds. Heat seals and shapes the leaves into rigid, leak-proof plates and bowls (ranging from 3 to 14 inches).
Daily Capacity: The unit produces 30,000 to 40,000 plates and bowls daily
Finished plates undergo visual inspection for structural integrity, uniform heat-sealing, and hygiene.
Eco-Packaging: Products are poly-wrapped and packed in standard bundle sizes for transit.
