- Union Minister for Tribal Affairs has inaugurated a “National Workshop on Tribal Enterprise with focus on Honey, Bamboo and Lac”.
- During the workshop,the union minister released the reports on (a) Bamboo and Bamboo Nomics (b) Lac and (c) Honey.
- India is the world’s second largest cultivator of bamboo after China. According to the data,India’s annual Bamboo production is estimated at 3.23 million tons.
- However,the poor yield of Bamboo is one of the perennial problems in India.In contrast to China’s average yield of 50 MT/Ha, the maximal yield range in India is 10-15 MT/h.
- According to the data,India’s honey production reported in 2017-18 was 1.05 lakh metric tonnes compared to the 35,000 metric tonnes in 2005-06.The major part of it comes from Apis Dorsata.
- India exports 50 % of the honey as international demand for honey is growing.The beekeeping sector is estimated to generate around 3 lakhman-working days by maintaining 10,000 bee colonies.
- Lac cultivation in India is mainly confined to the states of Jharkhand which contribute 57% of the total production followed by Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa and West Bengal.
- The Lac is mostly cultivated by poor tribals to supplement their agricultural income.However,Indian lac export is almost non-existent, which needs to be revived.
