Sector
Agriculture
Keyword

Lac Gatherer, Lac Cultivation

Minimum ? No entry barrier, preferably 5th pass

Not required

The tasks a Gatherer Lac is expected to perform include:

Identifying host-trees for lac cultivation in an area

Pruning the trees before infecting them

Infecting host-trees with lac insects

Collecting matured lac from the trees by scrapping or clipping off lac-bearing sheets

Tying brood-lac to fresh host-trees with young shoots for transferring lac infection

Monitoring larvae growth on trees for specified period to attain maturity

Retaining part of lac on the trees for further growth of larvae

Storing collected lac in warehouse for further processing

Cultivating host-trees, if required

Protecting and nourishing the host-trees

Knowledge of types of host plants for lac cultivation

Knowledge of types of qualities obtained from different host plants

Detailed knowledge of lac insect and its life cycle

Skilled in nurturing the host plants and taking proper care of them

Proficient in pruning the host plants Equipped in controlling other insects, parasites and pests in the host plants

Knowledge of infecting the host plants with the lac insect

Knowledge of lac cycle

Skilled in collecting and processing lac Skilledinusingknifeforscrapingthelacfromthehostplants

Familiarwiththeprecautionsthathavetobetakenforlacstorage

Familiar with the methods used for protecting the lac crop quality

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Expertise and hands-on experience in Lac gathering

Manual dexterity

Physically fit

Ability to work independently

Hardworking and persistent

Result-oriented

Self-motivated

It is a field job

Work from home is not applicable for this profile

May require supervising a team

Part-time and contractual jobs may be found Local travelling is required

Working hours

Working is 9 hours everyday for 6 days a week

Overtime is common

Shift system may be involved according to the norms

Being self-employed is also an option. In this case, working hours and days will be flexible Is the job suitable for a candidate with special needs?No

Health risks include exposure to pesticides, fertilisers, extreme weather conditions and dust

Occupational hazards include back/neck pains, injury to body and accidents

If the person is self-employed,profitwillvarywiththetypeoflaccultivated

For candidates on wage system - INR90 to INR340 per day3

(These figures are indicative and subject to change)

Overview of Lac Cultivation in India4This agricultural profession of lac cultivation is a subsidiary source of income for a large number of farmers mainly in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh. West Bengal, Orissa, North-East states and other parts of the country. India, which is the highest producer of lac, contributes around 55% of the total world requirement. The country exports around 80-90% of its production. Jharkhand is the ?Lac State of India? which alone contributes about 59% of the national production. Recent studies carried out by Indian Lac Research Institute in Ranchi district of Jharkhand and several lac growing villages of other regions have revealed that income generated from lac cultivation is next only to cultivation of paddy. The income form lac cultivation is about 8% of their total agricultural income.Lacgatheringisagreatsourceofsupplementaryincome.TheLacindustryisbroadeningitshorizonsbyresearchingtheusesoflacfordifferentpurposeslikesurfacecoating,coatingforinsulators,adhesivemaking,etc.

Self-employed

Plantation owners

Lac manufacturers

Job openings are in Tier III cities5