Growth Analysis of Lac Production During XII Plan Vis-a-Vis XI Plan Period in West Bengal, India

Abstract

The formulation of a strategy is to improve livelihood prospects of beneficiaries from an assessment of the potential and performance of the state's primary lac producing districts. This study is based on secondary data on lac production during Plan XI (2007- 08 to 2011-12) and Plan XII (2012-13 to 2016-17). Secondary lac production data was evaluated crop by crop and district by district, and the trend was examined. Few econometric measures, such as mean production, growth rate, and percent changes in mean value over the XII plan and XI plan period, were analyzed. West Bengal's contribution to national production declined from 6.97 % during the XI plan period to 3.56 % during the XII plan. During the XII plan, there is a 3.41 % decline in the share. During the XI plan, the state had a positive growth rate of 10.06 %, which dropped to 1.06 % during the XII plan. Bankura district had the highest % change in mean value from XI to XII plan, at 38.97 %, followed by Other minor lac producing districts combined (27.91 %), and Purulia district (26.35 %). However, the mean value decreases only in the Midnapur district (-63.33%) from XI to XII plan. The state as a whole recorded 41.82 % decrease in mean value over the XI plan. The decrease per cent is due to a decrease in the mean value of rangeeni and kusmi summer crop. There is a substantial decrease in rangeeni lac production in the Midnapur district. However, there is a substantial increase in the mean value of kusmi crop in Purulia and other districts together. In respect of instability in production during the XII plan, all direct recorded lower instability than states figure of 76.60 %.