Charoli

Conditions of Growth	It is grown in warm and humid climatic conditions with the maximum temperature of 45 degrees.
	It is grown well clayey soils and the areas of water logged are usually avoided.
Regions	Many parts of India including Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Gujarat etc.
Production/ Trade	Most of the trade comes from the Chhattisgarh state.

The buchananiaIanzan tree produces Charoli seeds which are used as a spice in cooking in India. In the north-west region of India, it is mainly cultivated. The seeds are lentil-sized and give the flavor like almond. They can also be eaten raw, otherwise they are roasted and used in dishes to add flavor. They are used mostly in preparing sweet dishes but they can also be used to thicken the gravy of the dishes.

Charoli belongs to the Anacardiaceous family which is a deciduous tree of medium size growing at a height of 50 feet. The tree bears fruits which contains a single seed like nut which is known as Chironji. It is mostly found in forests in the eroded lands of ravine and the areas of water logged should be avoided. It has leathery leaves of oblong shape and blunt tips. There are 10–20 pairs of parallel and straight veins of leaves. The leaves of the tree are shed for a very short period of time during the months of May and June.

It removes the biliousness according to Ayurveda and cures fevers, blood disorders, ulcers and thirst of body. It is also used in Unani medicine systems and according to it, the juice of the leaf is digestive, blood purifier, purgative, allays thirst and aphrodisiac. For the gleet, fever and urinary concretions treatment, the seeds are very useful for both brain and the body.

Charoli Production in India

There is a 5% production with the revenue of 15% in the trade of Chironji in the state of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh as per the estimates of 1980. Other states include Raipur, Sarguja, Kanker and Jagdalpur. The total production of 5000 tonnes every year was estimated as per MFP’s estimates that could generate days of employment for 8 lakh persons.

The supply and demand as per the state estimate needs the interstate data movements of exports and imports of the products. Gujarat, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Odisha are the states which are included for the demand and supply.

Methods of Growing Charoli

The temperature of a maximum 45 degrees Celsius is required with the clayey soil to germinate the seeds. The climate of humid and warm tropical climate is required. The plant is tolerant to the frost conditions. It is mostly found in the eroded areas of ravine lands.

The propagation of the trees is from the seeds which are enclosed in a hard shell. The shell should be broken carefully for better germination. There are 4300 to 5300 seeds in one kg of Chironji. The nature of the seeds is recalcitrant and after 3 months they lose their viability. Using chip budding and soft wood grafting are successful methods of vegetative propagation.

By damaging the endocarp of the seed before sowing, 83% of the seed germination is achieved within 18 days. Farmyard manure can be used with mulching during the summer and winter seasons to obtain better growth. It should be planted with sufficient space in between the seeds in a 45 cm3 size of the pits. The seeds should also be soaked overnight in chilled water.

Direct sowing can also be done by sowing then in polybags and after duration of 15 to 20 days, the germination of the seeds start. The seed development is slow by this method. The Chironji fruits mature after 4-5 months and the color of the fruits also changes to purple from green. The harvesting is done manually as soon as the color of the fruit changes. The fruits are collected by shaking the tree branches.

Charoli Producing States in India and Best Season

The states which produce Charoli in India every year are Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Meghalaya and Maharashtra.

The best seasons in which the fruits of the trees are ripened and collected are in the months of April and May. The time for harvesting is also the same. The months of flowering are from January to March.

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