Trends in Yield of Selected Non-Timber Forest Product Yielding Species in the Western Ghats, India: Implications for Sustainability

Non-timber forest products are a significant source of income and an integral part of development. The contribution of NTFPs to the economy is unknown and could be higher than that of timber products, still retaining significant biodiversity and ecosystem services. However, there is limited data on the production, yield, and harvest levels and techniques of NTFPs. To be sustainable, harvest levels need to be based on a sound knowledge of the reproductive biology, distribution, and abundance of the NTFP species, their yields, and production. Assessment of NTFP resources in the tropics is relatively new and has received little attention. In this study, we determine the productivity levels of 9 NTFP yielding species in the Western Ghats over a 13-year period and attempt to understand the supra-annual yield patterns of species and their implications for management and conservation. This study demonstrates that species yield patterns differ over years and there are cyclic patterns of yield, and fruiting pattern varies significantly among species. Therefore, while planning to procure or process the fruits of different NTFP yielding species, this knowledge is essential. NTFP yield and production data per tree and per hectare will assist in planning and designing processing and marketing facilities. Such information needs to be provided to FDAs to plan their resource harvest, processing, and benefit sharing.