Variability study on Katha recovery in Konkan region of Maharashtra state

Khair (Acacia catechu Willd) is a deciduous tree containing dark red heartwood inside the sapwood belongs to the family Fabaceae. It yields mainly two products Katha and cutch which have many medicinal benefits and industrial uses. The present study was carried out to assess the Katha recovery in mechanical method of extraction by selecting heartwood of Khair trees from two locations namely Thane and Ratnagiri. Results showed that recovery from chips to dry Katha was obtained 8.79 per cent in both the districts. On the basis of analysis, it was concluded that the variation in dry Katha recovery from chips did not occur in between the two locations of Konkan region.