Bastar. The face of farming is changing rapidly in Kanker district of Chhattisgarh. While farmers elsewhere depend on paddy and vegetables, farmers of Kanker are now brightening their fortunes by cultivating lac. Today the situation is such that Kanker has reached number one in the entire country in terms of lac production. Experts clearly say that the climate and soil of Kanker is absolutely perfect for lac production, hence the lac produced from here is considered to be of the highest quality in the country.
In Bastar, where coffee and palm oil are being cultivated, Kanker has become ‘Lakh Hub’.
Lac cultivation is being done here on such a large scale that Kanker’s name has now been registered among the top producing districts of the country. Farmers are doing farming by combining modern technology and traditional knowledge. Especially the semialta model has opened new avenues of earning for the farmers. In Kanker alone, 7 thousand metric tons of lac is being produced every year, this figure is considered unbelievable for any district.
Purshottam Mandavi says that he started his journey with 120 plants, today he is earning Rs 12-15 lakh. Purushottam Mandavi, a successful lac farmer of Kanker, says that he started with only 120 Semialta plants. Today his annual turnover has reached Rs 12 to 15 lakh. Mandavi says that I am cultivating Semialta in only 8 acres. The terrain of our district is a boon for lac production. In 2023, we started a campaign to connect farmers to farmers. In the same year, 20 farmers joined, and today 1200 farmers are cultivating lac. Of these, there are 50 farmers who are earning more than Rs 5 lakh every year.
The highest quality of the country is produced here
Senior agricultural scientist Dr. Birbal Sahu tells that the best quality lac of India is called Kushmi lac. It is found mostly in Kanker. There are various types of trees in the forests here, on which lac has been produced for years.
Dr. Sahu tells that every year farmers used to face problem of seeds. Therefore, semialta based farming was started as a solution. Presently lac crop is grown on 60-70 acres in Semialta.
The advantage of this model is that farmers can keep seeds available throughout the year after harvesting. Trees are perennial, so there is no need to plant them again and again. And the most important thing is that farmers are earning a comfortable income of about Rs 1 lakh per acre.
Kanker becomes the new ‘Lakh Capital’ of India
Kanker, which once depended only on paddy and forest produce, is today in the news because of lakhs. The farmers here have increased their income manifold with the help of hard work, technology and scientific advice. This model is now being discussed at the national level and many states are showing interest in adopting it.
