Vol. 10, Special Issue 8s (2021)

Author(s):
Demeshwar Singh, MR Chandrakar, AK Gauraha, VK Choudhary and Siddharth Kumar

Abstract:
Lac is a resinous protective secretion from of the lac insect. This secretion has great commercial value. So, lac insects are cultivated and lac is collected from the host plants. Lac is the gift of nature to mankind and is the only known commercial resin of animal origin. The lac insects yield resin, lac dye and lac wax. Application of these products has been updating with time. Lac still finds extensive use in Ayurveda and Siddha systems of medicine. Lac has the unique properties of being eco-friendly, biodegradable and self-sustainable. Moreover, it is a natural material and thus currently it has assumed special importance. Lac is the resinous secretion of a number of species of lac insects, of which the most commonly cultivated is Kerri lacca, lassiferalacca etc. cultivation begins when a farmer gets a stick that contains eggs ready to hatch and ties it to the tree to be infested. Thousands of lac insects colonize the branches of the host trees and secrete the resinous pigment. The harvested stick lac is crushed and sieved to remove impurities. The sieved material is then repeatedly washed to remove insect parts and other material. The resulting product id known as seedlac. From the field survey it was observed that 54.54 per cent of the members belonged to the age of 35-40 years, and 36.36 per cent respondents were illiterate in Radha Self-Help Group. The total production of lac 377kg/acre for first year and 707kg/acre for second year and average production was 542kg/acre. The total net return of lac production was obtained by Radha SHG was Rs. 66810.97/acre for first year, Rs. 147318.96/acre for second year and Rs.103744.97/acre was average gross return. And the Input/output ratio was 1:2.36 for first year, 1:3.30 for second year and 1:2.84 average, similarly the benefit-cost ratio of SHGs was 1:1.36 for first year, 1:2.30 for second year and 1:1.84 was average. Disposable pattern of lac is done by Radha self-help group is, processing unit, 45.11 percent, wholesalers’ 26.03 percent, lac.