Economics and resource use efficiency of lac cultivation in Jharkhand

Abstract

The present paper examines the cost, return and resource use efficiency in lac cultivation on major lac host plants. This paper is based on the analysis of data collected on 400 lac growers of Ranchi and West Singhbhum district in the year 2003-2004 and 2004-2005. Primary data was collected from the respondents with the help of pre-tested schedule/questionnaire. Simple tabular and Cobb Douglas production function was used for the present analysis. The total cost of lac cultivation was found to be Rs. 5,132, Rs. 9,347 and Rs. 68,808 per 100 host trees for Palas (Butea monosperma). Ber (Zizyphus mauritiana) and Kusum (Schleichera oleosa), respectively. The high cost of cultivation on Kusum was due to high labour and broodlac requirement. The net return was found to be Rs. 9,772, Rs. 19,543 and Rs. 1,62,837 for Palas, Ber and Kusum, respectively. Analysis of variance indicated that 76.46%, 66.73% and 68.26% variation in total income from lac for Palas, Ber and Kusum, respectively was explained by four variables like number of host utilized, number of human labour days, utilized, amount of broodlac in kg and value of other inputs in Rs.. Out of these human labour days utilized and amount of broodlac inoculated were significant at 5 per cent level of significance in explaining the variation. This showed increase in the level of human labour days utilized and amount of broodlac inoculated resulted in enhancing efficiency of lac cultivation on all the three hosts, contributing significantly towards gross return. Marginal value product analysis suggested a significant scope for increasing lac production at growers level by vertical growth in lac cultivation i.e. increase in production by using more input on the same host.