Quantitative and financial evaluation of cornelian cherry (Cornus mas) collecting in Arasbaran forests

In subsistence and rural economies، the role and contributions of Non wood forest products in the daily life and welfare of people are crucial because of their richness of variety. At this study، the main non-wood product (Cornus mas) of forests belongs to Kalaleh village was examined. Research data were collected using census of the rural households، questionnaires and direct observation. This research assessed the amount of production and harvest and the indicators of the financial evaluation such as net income، share of income from annual harvest of total annual household income and value added. Results showed that total fruit production and average production per hectare were 41791 kg and 1194 kg، respectively. Total and average harvested fruit per month by household were estimated about 2054 and 64 kg، respectively، which 18 percent consumed by themselves and the remainder، are sold after processing (dried fruit). Therefore، the average net income per household in a period of harvest was about 95. 4 $ in the summer of 2008. The average share of income from fruit harvest to the annual total income was estimated 3. 85 percent. This study showed that the average value added resulting from processing of raw fruit was 3 times higher than the value of raw fruit. Therefore، Value-added of the processed fruit includes 77 percent of the total value added. However، the amount of harvest by the local people was about 2054 kg (i. e. 5 percent of the total forest production).