Departmental Profile

Sector :- Lac Development, Bankura

Introduction :- Lac is resinous secretion of a tiny insect known as “KERRIA-LACCA’’. There are two crops from two life-cycles of each strains. Kusmi crops are called AGHANI and GETHWI. Ranginee crops are called KATKI and BAISHAKHI. Ranginee crops are grown on BER and Palash and also Arhar trees. Kusmi are grown on KUSUM, semialata and also BER trees. Production of Baishakhi crops is the largest in Ranginee variety and quality of Kusmi variety is the best of all varieties.

Lac Cultivation in Bankura District :- State of West Bengal on an average produces about 1500 M.T. of Sticklac (Raw- Material), which is about 7.5% of the total all India production.

Bankura is one of the major Lac producing District in West Bengal. The District produces about 200 M.T. of Sticklac annually and as per Lac census 1981 about 17,000 Nos. of rural families mainly belonging to tribal communities are engaged in Lac cultivation as a subsidary source of income.

i) Important Lac Producing

Blocks :- 1) Chhatna

2) Saltora. 3) Mejia

4) Gangajalghati 5) Indpur

6) Khatra 7) Hirbandh

8) Ranibandh 9) Raipur.

Settlement of Lac Larve

ii) Existing Lac Host trees :-

1,70,000 Nos. (Kusum -216 Nos.

Ber-84,673

Nos. Palash-85,111Nos.)

as per Lac Census 1981

Densely populated brood Contd…p/2

(2)

iii) Existing State Broodlac Farms :- 12 Nos at Topbari (Hirbandh), Bonkata,Tarkajore (Indpur)Chhatna (Chhatna), Tentultikuri (Saltora),Banskuri, Jugibag,Anandapur,Jemua,Chuaberia, (Mejia),Gobindadham,Machaparulia (Gangajalghati)

iv) Existing Training cum-servicing Centre :- 02 Nos at Khatra & Chhatna.

v) Existing Lac Artisan’s Co-opt. Society :- 02 Nos at Khatra & Chhatna.

vii) Critical Intervention Underway :

In order to overcome, the present low yield scenario of lac in Bankura,under RSVY, ATMA and departmental Programme the following inputs being provided on regular basis :

1) The Existing host trees of Palash are being pruned regularly in each season, so that on availability of broodlac, cultivation can take place. This has to be done on continual/seasonal basis, irrespective of availability of broodlac to ensure enough cultivation so as to bring back the production figures of yesteryears.

2) Training programmes for cultivators and staff, associated with Lac programme, are taking place on continual/periodical basis from apex bodies like ILRI Numkum, Ranchi so as to disseminate latest developments in the cultivation, processing and value addition of Lac.

3) Since, Bankura district houses more than two lakhs Palash trees, it is being explored if any other value added product can be derived from the same, apart from Lac, so that the economics of value addition, improves.

Brood Binding & infection work during

2006-2007 at Kustore G.P. in Mejia

Development Block under RSVY.