Lac, Plant Resins and Gums Statistics 2017: At a Glance

Abstract

India has the leading role in supplying the Non Wood Forest Products (NWFPs) based raw material for food, paint, varnish, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries over the world. India has about 621.4 million lac host trees and not more than 5% of this huge inoculable area is utilized for production (FSI 2013). Utilizing full potential of available host plants for lac cultivation with recommended technologies may be promising strategy to check the migration and providing the opportunities for employment at local level. Subsequently, it will enhance the income level and by thus standard of living of the tribal farmers. Government of India has initiated the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for 11 NWFPs as marketing strategy on the top priority to boost up the sector. India is one of the largest producers of natural resins, gums and gum-resins (NRGs) along with China, Indonesia, Russia and Brazil. Our country is the world leader in production of guar, gum karaya and psyllium gums as well as lac. The present publication, ‘Lac, Plant Resins and Gums Statistics 2017: At a Glance’ contains statistics on geographical distribution, production, price, processing, export and import of natural resins and gums including lac, pine resins, guar gum, gum karaya, dhawda gum, psyllium gum, tamarind gum powder, Cassia tora, Olibanum, etc. The production of gums in important states, viz, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh; production of pine resins in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh; export and import of natural resins and gums is included to give a clear and comprehensive picture of the importance of these at national and international level. In this issue, content is presented in five major headings covering introduction; methodology; production, processing and trade; policy implications and conclusions. Information on market trend is essential for better organization of Indian producing states to meet the demand through better organization of their local/regional/national commercial channels from production to export. Further, stabilization of the market with appropriate stocks, quality control of exported products at global level and adequate remunerative price support at production level in India is also covered. In this issue, data pertaining the comparison of XI and XII plan periods is highlighted.