MAHUA

In news:

• The government is set to launch a mahua-based alcoholic beverage in the market for the first time named Mahua Nutribeverage

About Mahua

• Mahua longifolia is an Indian tropical tree found largely in the central and north Indian plains and forests.
• It is a fast-growing tree that grows to approximately 20 meters in height, possesses evergreen or semi-evergreen foliage, and belongs to the family Sapotaceae.
• It is adaptable to arid environments, being a prominent tree in tropical mixed deciduous forests in India in the states of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Gujarat, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.

Uses

• It is cultivated in warm and humid regions for its oleaginous seeds (producing between 20 and 200 kg of seeds annually per tree, depending on maturity), flowers and wood.
• The fat (solid at ambient temperature) is used for the care of the skin, to manufacture soap or detergents, and as a vegetable butter.
• It can also be used as a fuel oil.
• The seed cakes obtained after extraction of oil constitute very good fertilizer.
• The flowers are used to produce an alcoholic drink in tropical India.

PRELIMS QUESTION:

Q. Regarding Mahua plant, which of the following statements is/are incorrect?

1. It can be used as fuel oil

2. The flowers of Mahua can be used to produce alcoholic drink

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

a. 1 only

b. 2 only

c. Both 1 and 2

d. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer to Prelims question