Lac, Plant Resins and Gums Statistics 2018: At a Glance

Abstract

Non Wood Forest Products (NWFPs) based raw materials are supplied for food, paint, varnish, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries over the world. Natural resins and gums are export oriented commodities and mostly exported in raw form. It is essential to process and add value to these for enhanced domestic consumption and also to create employment opportunities for the local populace. 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 eastern region of India is lagging in agriculture and is home to more than 50 % of India’s poor and food insecure population. Lac cultivation is an important vocation for inhabitants of 45 out of 150 disadvantaged districts of India. Jharkhand - the leading state in lac production (55% of National production). About 25-32% of total farm income in major lac growing areas comes from lac cultivation. It is a major source of livelihood and income generation especially for tribal farmers in rain-fed areas. About one million man-days are generated in the existing lac processing units alone. 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 25 NWFPs as marketing strategy on the top priority to boost up the sector. The present publication, ‘Lac, Plant Resins and Gums Statistics 2018: 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.