Project Brief

The project is a feasibility study of Lac cultivation in Khunti District of Jharkhand. Through the feasibility study SIGN was interested to know the scenario of Lac cultivation in Khunti district, farmers’ socio-economic status and the Lac cultivation practices followed by them and reasons behind decline of Lac production. It was also interest to execute an implementation project in future, after knowing the potential of Lac cultivation in the area. 

Project Description

Through the feasibility study SIGN wanted to understand the scenario of Lac cultivation in Khunti district; farmers’ socio-economic status; lac cultivation practices followed; and reasons behind the decline of lac production in the region.
Lac has been a highly valued commodity throughout the ages. It is a very remunerative crop paying high economic returns to the cultivators and also a source of foreign exchange to the country. Recent studies carried out by Indian Lac Research Institute in Ranchi district of Jharkhand and several lac growing villages of other regions have revealed that income generated from lac cultivation is next only to cultivation of paddy.
The specific objectives of the project was to examine lac cultivation in Khunti district and explore possibilities of value addition for the benefit of the forest produce gatherers. Finally, the study also sought to fill the existing gap of information, strategy and support systems required to develop lac cultivation as a primary means of livelihood for the local community.
According to the study conducted in 3 blocks of Khunti district (Khunti, Murhu and Torpa), the average land holding of the Lac farmers is 4.53 acres. Lac is a subsidiary crop to meet cash expenses. The average annual income from lac was Rs. 8284/- per family. Farmers worked in other farms or as construction workers in their village, nearby villages and blocks. Farmers also found employment in some of the construction work taken up through the NREGA Scheme.