Forest Resources of Jharkhand, Eastern India …
77
efforts in terms of policy, research and development regarding the lac sector percolated at grass root level and interest of stakeholders had got the vital support. It is
assumed that there are some bottlenecks hampering the growth of lac production.
Table 5 shows lac host plants and their suitability. The highest producer of lac are
India, Thailand, Indonesia, parts of China, Myanmar, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, etc. and India is the largest producer of lac with a share of 62% of the world
production of 44,000 MT (Ogle et al. 2006). In 1950s, the average production of lac
in India was 42,320 tons and an onward decline was noted in lac production during
1970s (52%), 1980s (19%) and 1990s (4%) (Indian Institute of Natural Resins and
Gums, Ranchi, Jharkhand, 2015). However, in the revival period during 2000s, a
24% increase was recorded. It is expected that the potential for lac production could
increase with India’s recent changes in forest policy which encourages the restoration of degraded lands (Sequeira and Bezkorowajnyj 1998). Jharkhand is the biggest
lac producing state in India and accounts for more than 50% of the national produce followed by Madhya Pradesh (15%), Chhattisgarh (14%), Maharashtra (9%)
and Odisha (4%). Ranchi, Khunti, Simdega Gumla, West Singhbhum, Latehar, Palamau, Garhwa, and Hazaribagh are the main lac growing districts. Lac production
scenario in India accounts for over 1000 tons of lac during 2014–15, some leading
lac producing districts are presented in Table 6. Out of the 10 highest producing districts, five come from Jharkhand and four of them are top ranked. Out of seven main
lac producing districts of Jharkhand, Ranchi holds top rank followed by Simdega,
Gumla, West Singhbhum, Palamau, Garhwa, Latehar and others. A survey of production data shows that throughout the last four years (2006–07 to 2009–2010), there
has been a negative growth in lac production in Ranchi, Palamau, Garhwa, Latehar
and a few other minor lac producing districts. The greatest setback was recorded in
Ranchi which witnesses 42.8% negative growth and this district alone contributed
around 28.5%. Gumla, West Singhbhum and Simdega districts are known as kusmi
belt which recorded positive growth ranging from 6.3–29% and these three districts
together contributed around 56% of Jharkhand’s total lac production. On estimate,
around 110 million lac hosts are being exploited in the state. More than 4 lakh families in the state are involved in lac cultivation activity resulting in the creation of
35–40 million man-days per year.
There are several problems associated with lac farming including the scarcity of
the lac growers who are mainly tribal. There is no ample and free supply of good
quality broodlac by the government and as the lac growers are poor tribal, they cannot
procure superior broodlac from the market, especially for Kusumi broodlac which is
highly expensive compared to Rangeeni broodlac. Lac growers are mainly illiterate
tribal and they sometimes neglect proper time of lac cultivation which affects the
productivity. Due to lack of scientific knowledge on the method of cultivation, they
mostly use traditional cultivars. The governmental agency should provide regular
training to villagers to lac cultivation in a scientific manner, so they can show interest
in lac farming. Sometimes government supplies free instruments, but the supply is
insufficient to meet the needs of farmers and partiality is also seen at the time of
distribution.
77
efforts in terms of policy, research and development regarding the lac sector percolated at grass root level and interest of stakeholders had got the vital support. It is
assumed that there are some bottlenecks hampering the growth of lac production.
Table 5 shows lac host plants and their suitability. The highest producer of lac are
India, Thailand, Indonesia, parts of China, Myanmar, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, etc. and India is the largest producer of lac with a share of 62% of the world
production of 44,000 MT (Ogle et al. 2006). In 1950s, the average production of lac
in India was 42,320 tons and an onward decline was noted in lac production during
1970s (52%), 1980s (19%) and 1990s (4%) (Indian Institute of Natural Resins and
Gums, Ranchi, Jharkhand, 2015). However, in the revival period during 2000s, a
24% increase was recorded. It is expected that the potential for lac production could
increase with India’s recent changes in forest policy which encourages the restoration of degraded lands (Sequeira and Bezkorowajnyj 1998). Jharkhand is the biggest
lac producing state in India and accounts for more than 50% of the national produce followed by Madhya Pradesh (15%), Chhattisgarh (14%), Maharashtra (9%)
and Odisha (4%). Ranchi, Khunti, Simdega Gumla, West Singhbhum, Latehar, Palamau, Garhwa, and Hazaribagh are the main lac growing districts. Lac production
scenario in India accounts for over 1000 tons of lac during 2014–15, some leading
lac producing districts are presented in Table 6. Out of the 10 highest producing districts, five come from Jharkhand and four of them are top ranked. Out of seven main
lac producing districts of Jharkhand, Ranchi holds top rank followed by Simdega,
Gumla, West Singhbhum, Palamau, Garhwa, Latehar and others. A survey of production data shows that throughout the last four years (2006–07 to 2009–2010), there
has been a negative growth in lac production in Ranchi, Palamau, Garhwa, Latehar
and a few other minor lac producing districts. The greatest setback was recorded in
Ranchi which witnesses 42.8% negative growth and this district alone contributed
around 28.5%. Gumla, West Singhbhum and Simdega districts are known as kusmi
belt which recorded positive growth ranging from 6.3–29% and these three districts
together contributed around 56% of Jharkhand’s total lac production. On estimate,
around 110 million lac hosts are being exploited in the state. More than 4 lakh families in the state are involved in lac cultivation activity resulting in the creation of
35–40 million man-days per year.
There are several problems associated with lac farming including the scarcity of
the lac growers who are mainly tribal. There is no ample and free supply of good
quality broodlac by the government and as the lac growers are poor tribal, they cannot
procure superior broodlac from the market, especially for Kusumi broodlac which is
highly expensive compared to Rangeeni broodlac. Lac growers are mainly illiterate
tribal and they sometimes neglect proper time of lac cultivation which affects the
productivity. Due to lack of scientific knowledge on the method of cultivation, they
mostly use traditional cultivars. The governmental agency should provide regular
training to villagers to lac cultivation in a scientific manner, so they can show interest
in lac farming. Sometimes government supplies free instruments, but the supply is
insufficient to meet the needs of farmers and partiality is also seen at the time of
distribution.