Abstract
Based on rating system, five problems which scored more than 50% ratings are : mortality of lac crop during fog especially on Ziziphus mauritiana (Ber) and Schleichera oleosa (Kusum) (72%), shortage of broodlac (62%), non-remunerative market price of lac (57%), spider net on host tree resulting into trapping of crawlers (53%), and lack of technical knowledge on lac cultivation (52%). Two problems, which have rating between 41-50%, are lac crop mortality on Butea monosperma (Palas) during rain after intense heat in summer (50%), dearth of capital for investment in lac cultivation (48%), damage of lac encrustation by squirrel (43%), lack of technical information on lac cultivation (42%), theft in form of broodlac and mature lac sticks (41%) and mortality of crop due to high temperature during summer on Z. mauritiana and B. monosperma (40%). Other problems, which have rating between 31-40%, are damage of lac crop during thunderstorm and peeling of bark of Z. mauritiana shoot by rat (31%), damage of lac crop by insect pests of lac (35%), and lack of information on market price of lac (33%). A few problems are widespread over a large area whereas others are localised to specific areas only.
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