Abstract:
Wild edible fruit species are traditional sources of nuts, fruits, spices, leafy vegetables, edible
oil and beverages. In Sikkim, wild edible fruit species is valuable in several other ways
pertaining to social, economic and ecological services except in a few species, food value has
rather a subordinate role. Thus a study was designed with the purpose of providing baseline
information on use of wild fruits in local system through surveys and field visits. Field survey
was conducted by collecting information during structured and semi-structured interviews
with native people. Free listing technique enlisted 26 wild edible fruits represented by 17
families and 23 genera. Some fruit species are socially and commercially important and also
has medicinal value such as Diploknema butyraceae, Terminalia chebula, Rubus ellipticus,
Spondias axillaris, Castanopsis hystrix, Duchesnia indica and Elaegnus latifolia. Most of the
fruits have multiple local uses and were same for all the areas studied. These fruits were
mostly eaten fresh and raw. The current level of consumption is very low and the fruits had
insignificant role in the diets of the natives. These fruits have a great potential to contribute
towards food and nutritional security during food scarcity and can certainly boost the
economy of poor people if value addition is encouraged.
