Chhattisgarh Govt’s special initiative to promote lac cultivation, provides zero-interest crop loans to farmers
Raipur: Chhattisgarh government is taking a special initiative to promote lac cultivation in the state and boost the income of farmers. Necessary arrangements have been made by the Chhattisgarh State Minor Forest Produce Association in this regard ensuring an adequate supply of lac to the farmers and the availability of interest-free crop loans.
To overcome the shortage of lac in the state, the purchase rate has been fixed to buy lac available with the farmers at fair prices. The purchase rate for Kusumi lac (obtained from the plum tree) is fixed at Rs 550 per kg and Rangini lac (colorful lac) obtained from Palash tree is fixed at Rs 275 per kg. Similarly, the selling rate has also been fixed as Rs Rs 640 per kg for Kusumi lac and Rs 375 per kg for Rangini lac.
In a bid to encourage the farmers to cultivate lac, arrangements have been made by the state government to provide lac crop loans with free interest through the District Co-operative Bank. Under this, a loan limit of Rs 5000 per tree has been fixed for the nutritious Kusum tree, Rs 900 for Plum tree, and Rs 500 for Palash tree that helps in rearing lac. A training center has also been opened in Kanker by the State Minor Forest Produce Association for practicing lac cultivation in a planned and scientific manner. In this center, along with 03 days of institutional training, on-farm training is also being provided in lac production clusters.
For the successful implementation of the scheme and to boost lac production in the state, lac production clusters have also been formed in 20 district unions connecting 03 to 05 primary committee areas. Under this, farmers-wise demand for lac is being obtained by conducting a survey in each lac production cluster. Following this, the farmers will have to deposit the required amount in advance in the district union account to supply Bihan lac at the price fixed by the union. The deadline for depositing the amount is fixed till November 15 for Rangini Bihan Lac and December 15 for Kusumi Bihan Lac.
Meanwhile, traditionally lac is cultivated in various districts of the state with nearly 50,000 farmers indulged in rearing Kusumi lac on Kusum and plum trees and Rangini lac on Palash and plum trees. At present, nearly 4000 tonnes of lac are produced in the state, the estimated value of which is Rs 100 crore. The target is to help farmers generate an income of Rs 250 crore by increasing the lac production to 10,000 tonnes in the state. For this, an important decision has been taken to provide lac crop loans with free interest to the farmers indulged in lac cultivation. Keeping in view the reduced lac production across the country, presently the market rate of Kusumi lac has increased from Rs 300 to Rs 900 per kg to boost lac cultivation.
