For the first time, the cultivation of lacquer, which is used to seal letters or government documents, to make weapons, to fill jewelry, etc., has been expanded in Banke.
Laha imported from India has been expanded for the first time in Nepal. Division Forest Office Banke has expanded Laha cultivation with the participation of a team of experts. With a group of experts, the Laha worm (embryo) which produces Laha has been released on the branches of trees by bringing farm seeds.
The Division Forest Office has started cultivation in Srijan Community Forest located in Kohalpur-12. 25 kg of seeds have been planted in forest consumer group . Similarly, cultivation has been expanded in Jalandhara and Jhijiri women's community forest user groups of Raptisonari rural municipality.
According to Dammar Vishwakarma, an expert who has been cultivating laha for 25 years, a parasite that completes its life cycle by clinging to the soft branches of a special tree and sucking the sap of that branch is called laha. Vishwakarma said that the raw material of laha is sold up to 1000 rupees per kg. He says that after processing, it will be sold for up to 2000 per kg.
Lacquer is used especially in furniture factories, jewelry shops and other various works. Laha Kira gets its own food by sucking the sap of the plant. It is easy to cultivate as it does not have to suffer much. If the production from the tested trees is good, there is a plan to expand further," said expert Vishwakarma. According to
expert Vishwakarma, the laha production changes in the female insect's body after the male and female have sex. It sucks the sap profusely from the branches, and builds its nest to lay its eggs. A type of gum or a soft substance, called laha, is released from the body of the female.
'Laha Bhale can't make it. Monsoon rains and temperatures ranging from 15 degrees Celsius to 40/45 degrees Celsius are considered good for laha production, said Vishwakarma. He said that its cultivation is suitable in Nepal from the point of view of the environment.
Laha cultivation has been started with the aim of making community forests and consumers of the district income-generating. Cultivation has been started under the protection of trees such as khair and bayar found in the Terai region from Laha cultivation.
Manoj Sharma, senior forest officer of Shamshergunj sub division office, said that 51 people from the community forest user group participated in the training organized for the expansion and capacity development of Laha farming for the first time in the district. Laha farming will play a role in the protection of trees such as khair and bayar found in Terai region.
Shankar Prasad Gupta, Senior Divisional Forest Officer of Divisional Forest Office, Banke, said that cultivation has been started for expansion in Banke after the successful use of other areas. Gupta said that one can become self-sufficient by commercial cultivation of Laha . "If the experiment in Kohalpur is successful, we will expand it to the whole district," said Gupta, "There is a lot of potential for laha cultivation in the forests of the district." As the branches cannot be cut after planting laha, it will also help in the protection of the forest. Suman Paudel, Chairman of
Community Forest Consumer Committee, said that he believes that laha cultivation will help to improve the income level of the committee. According to him, one can become self-sufficient if the branches of the plants in the community forest can be produced.
Lacquer is used in furniture paint, jewelry, makeup products, shoe polish, nail polish, capsules, tablets, electric bulbs, lacquer prints, weapons, etc.
