Commercial gathering
Topic: Primary Activities: Gathering, Pastoralism, Agriculture and Mining · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 4 "Primary Activities"
Meaning
Commercial gathering is the collection of valuable wild plant products to process simply and sell in markets. Different parts of plants give different products:
- bark gives quinine, tannin and cork
- leaves give drinks, drugs, cosmetics, fibres and thatch
- nuts give food and oil
- tree trunks give rubber, balata, gums and resins
It cannot grow worldwide because synthetic products are cheaper and often better.
Example
In the forests of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, tribal people gather tendu leaves. They sell the leaves to be used for rolling bidis.
Don't confuse with
- Subsistence gathering: people gather to meet their own needs for food, shelter and clothing, not to sell. They are left with little or no surplus (extra).