Indian Institute of Natural Resins and Gums (Formerly Indian Lac Research Institute), Ranchi – 834 010, Jharkhand.
Lac is recognized as a high-value cash crop and management of its marketing plays a vital role for better returns. The paper has examined the marketing costs and price spread in marketing of lac in the district Kanker of Chhattisgarh state. For data collection on marketing costs, margins and constraints in lac marketing, ten respondents of each category, viz. lac growers, market functionaries and manufacturers were randomly selected and interviewed during 2009–10. Primary data have been collected from the respondents with the held of pretested schedule. The lac growers have been found to receive Rs 70 per kg and the lac grower's share in consumer's price was 85.30 per cent. The primary purchaser could receive a margin of Rs 260 per quintal and incurred Rs 63 per quintal on marketing cost. The total marketing cost paid by the wholesaler was Rs 743 per quintal. The wholesaler's marketing margin has been found as Rs 140 per quintal. Arhat charges were 3 per cent of the transacted amount. The study has revealed that there is a tremendous scope to increase the profitability of lac growers in the study area by group marketing, co-operative marketing, establishment of processing units in the lac production catchments, provision of infrastructural facilities for marketing, strengthening of market extension network and promotion of quality consciousness amongst farmers, traders and manufacturers of lac in the study area.
