Alam urges farmers to become self reliant in Lac cultivation

| | Ranchi
  • 0

Alam urges farmers to become self reliant in Lac cultivation

Friday, 14 February 2020 | PNS | Ranchi

State rural development and parliamentary affairs minister Alamgir Alam on Thursday stressed on production of lac to create employment saying that State Government is ready to cooperate with Centre for setting up a lac board. Alam said that marketing and branding of the lac produce would be undertaken by the State Government in larger scale so that farmers get rich dividends.

Alam said, “From lac not only bangles and gum can be produced, but it has also medicinal value as lac can be used in medicines. Farmers can become self reliant if they go for lac production in large scale.” Alalm, along with Ranchi MP Sanjay Seth, Khijri MLA Rajesh Kachaap and others, was present at the two day farmers’ fair cum technical exhibition at Indian Institute of Natural Resins and Gums (IINRG) (formerly Indian Lac Research Institute (ILRI), Namkum.

He said, “Farmers can become self reliant if they have proper knowledge of crop, time of cultivation sowing of seeds, requirement of water for different crops, use of bio fertilizers and others. As Jharkhand’s weather suits lac cultivation farmers can even go for lac cultivation.”

Presently lac cultivation is carried out in Ranchi, Simdega and Khunti areas, but it can be grown in other parts of state too.  Echoing the views of Alam, Ranchi MP Sanjay Seth said that use of lac is multifold in diet, medicine, colour and others. He said, “Presently 25 lakh tonnes of lac is produced in country, out of which Jharkhand accounts for 12 lakh tones of lac, rest it is produced in Chhattisgarh.”

The Ranchi MP said that the lac is good sources of income for farmers. He urged the minister to motivate farmers in lac cultivation. Seth also urged minister to cooperate with centre for constituting a lac board which will look for lac production and marketing.

IINRG director KK Sharma said that IINRG formerly Indian Lac Research Institute has been working on lac production for around 100 years.  Sharma said that through lac production and its export country earns nearly around Rs 300 to 400 crore of foreign reserve. The IINRG carries out all aspects of lac research and development and other natural gums & resins.

Realising the strategic importance of lac, the then Imperial Govt. of India constituted the Lindsay- Harlow Committee in 1920, to look into all aspects of the country's lac trade and its development. On the suggestions of this Committee, lac merchants organized themselves into the Indian Lac Association for Research, under the aegis of which, the foundation stone of Indian Lac Research Institute (ILRI) was laid at Ranchi on September 20,1924. On the occasion five farmers were felicitated for lac cultivation and farming.

The farmers working in cultivation of mushrooms, manufacturing of pickles, papad and others items had put up their stall at the fair.

Sunday Edition

CAA PASSPORT TO FREEDOM

24 March 2024 | Kumar Chellappan | Agenda

CHENNAI EXPRESS IN GURUGRAM

24 March 2024 | Pawan Soni | Agenda

The Way of Bengal

24 March 2024 | Shobori Ganguli | Agenda

The Pizza Philosopher

24 March 2024 | Shobori Ganguli | Agenda

Astroturf | Lord Shiva calls for all-inclusiveness

24 March 2024 | Bharat Bhushan Padmadeo | Agenda

Interconnected narrative l Forest conservation l Agriculture l Food security

24 March 2024 | BKP Sinha/ Arvind K jha | Agenda