Mahua Fruit is also a nationalized product like Bamboo and Sal seed. It is called green gold of Odisha. Botanical name of Tendu (Kendu) leaf is Diospyros Melanoxylon. Tendu leaf is one of the most important non-wood forest products of Odisha. The valuable leaves are used for wrapping Bidis, popular smoke especially among poor natives. The states producing BIDI leaf in India comprises mainly MP, Chhatisgarh, Odisha, AP, Jharkhand, Gujarat and Maharastra.
jharkhand is the third largest producer of kendu leaf next to M.P. and Chatisgarh.The annual production of Bidi Leaf in Odisha is around 4.5 to 5 lakhs quintal, which is about 20% of the countries annual production. Kendu leaf is available in 50 Sub Division of all the 30 districts. But the following Districts cover maximum Kendu leaf growing areas. The districts are Sundergarh, Anugul, Deogarh , Kalahandi, keonjhar, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Malkanagri, Nabarangpur, Koraput, Dhenkanal, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Baragarh, Bolangir, Sonepur, Boudh and Nuapada.