The Non-Timber Forest Produce Division (NTFP), Siliguri, has this year produced a record 11.50 quintals of herbal ‘abir’ to meet the ever-rising demand, especially as Holi, the festival of colours, approaches.

Also, as the panchayat elections approach, conventional ‘abir’ producers have already dispatched colour powders to shops, and produced some extra green ‘abir,’ which activists and supporters of the ruling Trinamul Congress use to celebrate poll victories.

The powder, which is generally used during the Holi festival and other celebrations, is available in three colours–yellow, red and green, and is made from dried marigold flower, wood apple leaves and talcum powder used in laboratories.

The division has been producing the ‘abir’ at the Taipu Ayurvedic Medicinal Unit since 2013 and is being sold at NTFP outlets across north Bengal. Officials said the colur is prepared at the unit in a very hygienic manner.

“With the rising demand of herbal ‘abir’, we have produced the colour in record scale this year (11.50 quintals). Last year, we had prepared 6.34 quintals, while in 2016 it was 6.10 quintals, and we had prepared 5 quintals in 2015.

In 2014, the figure was 4 quintals, while in 2013 we had produced 3 quintals of herbal abir. The abir is entirely herbal and the coulur is in high demand because no chemical is used and is not harmful to the skin,” the divisional forest officer of the NTFP, Kausik Banerjee, said. The NTFP has produced 5.36 kg of yellow ‘abir,’ 2.30 kg of red powder, while the rest is green..

The red and yellow colours are prepared with marigold flowers, while green is made from wood apple leaves. “Parks and gardens of the north division, Siliguri, had supplied 6 quintals of marigold flowers, while we got 9 quintals of talcum powder from Kolkata.

The forest protection committee provided 5 quintals of wood apple leaves,” an official said. The department has around 65 distributors. The colour is available at nine outlets, including Siliguri, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, Gayerkata and Nilpara.

It is available in 500 gram packets and 250 gram packets and priced at Rs 70 and Rs 40, respectively. Meanwhile, as the rural polls are approaching, those into the conventional colour powder business have prepared extra green ‘abir’ at Fulbari near Siliguri in Jalpaiguri district.

Asim Saha, who prepares the ‘abir’ there, said that they have produced three tons of extra green colour by keeping in mind the elections when the green powder is extensively used. Party supporters playing with colours during election victory celebrations is a common thing in Bengal.

The ruling Trinamool Congress generally uses the green abir. “Usually I prepare 10 tones of ‘abir in red, pink and green colours, but since the rural polls are near, I prepared three tons of extra green ‘abir’ this year,” Mr Saha said.