• Central Tasar Research and Training Institute (CTR &TI).
• Indian Lac Research Institute (ILRI) Namkum, Ranchi.
• Jharkhand State Co-operative lac Marketing Federation Ltd. (JHASCOLAMF), Ranchi.
• The Jharkhand State Forest Development Corporation (F.D.C.)
• Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited.
• Raw Material Bank: R.M.B.
• LAMPS (Large Area Multiple Purpose Society).

The Central Tasar Research Station was established at Ranchi and Central Tasar Silkworm Seed Station (CTSS) at Lakha was established in 1964. Initially the station functioned in a two-room hut on one corner of 86.31 acre of land taken on lease from forest department. The idea behind its formation was to organise tasar sericulture in a systematic way and provide the required research support for its development. Later in 1973 - 74 two mud walled grainage houses were constructed departmentally to serve the needs of seed cocoon preservation and grainage operation. In 1980 the station was upgraded to the status of institute and renamed as Central Tasar Research and Training Institute. Between 1978 to 1996, 22 Basic seed multiplication and training centres were opened in Bihar, M.P., Orissa, U.P. and West Bengal and five Regional Tasar Research Stations for tropical Tasar were opened. To popularise post cocoons technology 7 reeling spinning demonstration cum training centres (RSDTCs) were also opened during this period. Presently the institute is located at village Patrachouli near Piska - Nagri at about 18 km. away from Ranchi on Calcutta - Mumbai National Highway (N.H.23)
The aim of this institute is to serve as a National Institute to organise and promote tasar silk industry through basic and applied research, extension and training and to generate skilled manpower through human resource development. Since tasar sericulture is the backbone for tribal development and so tribal development is a major objective of this institute.

As a follow up of the mandate the Institute performs the following activity:

• Basic and applied research
• Technology development and preparation of package of practices.
• Supply of breeder's seed stock.
• Technology demonstration to the department staff and lead farmers through frontline demonstration.
• Organising group discussions, Kisan melas and seminars at various levels.
• Survey, collection, maintenance and evaluation of germplasm of tasar silkworm and its food plants.
• Developing measures for control of diseases of silkworm and food plants.
• Measures for standardisation and quality control of silk yarn.
• Rationalisation of marketing and stablisation of price of silk cocoon and raw silk.
• Coordination with department of sericulture of tasar growing states
• Consultancy to NGOs.

Indian Lac Research Institute (ILRI) Namkum, Ranchi is a constituent institute of Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi. This institute is actively involved in the development of new technologies for lac cultivation, processing, and utilisation. Besides, it also acts as a Centre for Transfer of Technology and providing Consultancy for development of lac farm and establishment of lac based industries.

Jharkhand State Co-operative lac Marketing Federation Ltd. (JHASCOLAMF), Ranchi is devoted to the development of lac marketing. It is actively involved in fixation of minimum support of lac, buying of sticklac from farmers through LAMPS, processing and export.
Institute of Forest Productivity, (IFP) Hinoo, Main Road, Ranchi is a constituent of Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (I.C.F.R.E.), Dehradun (U.P). This institute is engaged in running a few nucleus broodlac farms, collection and estimation of lac production data in the country, on lac extension, and a few other works.

The Jharkhand State Forest Development Corporation (F.D.C.)

The Jharkhand State Forest Development Corporation was formed on the 2nd of April 2000. Earlier it was known as The Bihar State Forest Development Corporation, which was established in the year 1975. In the year 1977 it was appointed as an agent of the State government for carrying out the trade of Sal seeds and till today they are solely responsible for the total Sal seed trade taking place through legal channel in the entire State. Besides Sal seed the organisation also trades in Kendu leaf, Mahua seed, Mahulan leaf, Harra, Amla. Presently the F.D.C. is carrying out trade of only Kendu leaf, Mahulan leaf and Sal seed due to non-availability, loss, lack of demand, improper management.

Quantity Traded by F.D.C. of four divisions: Kendu Leaf

Procurement System

Presently the system followed by the F.D.C. for the procurement of NTFP is called as the system of advance selling commonly known as Ek Musta Pranali. The whole forest area in the state is divided by the F.D.C. into Ranges and each range is further divided into lots whose yield for a particular produce is known. Each lot has various phadi/units (local collection centers) where the primary collector sells the total no. of the produce collected by him. An agent/munshi is appointed by the F.D.C. who is responsible for collection of the produce and payment made to the primary collector, at the phadi level.

Sealed tenders are invited for various lots from registered traders. All those traders who are interested in the trading of NTFP in the state need to get themselves registered with the F.D.C. The process for registration has been discussed in detail earlier. The procurement price fixation is done by a committee of 9 - 13 members constituted under section 6 of The Bihar Kendu leaves (control of trade) Act, 1973 and Bihar Forest Produce (control of trade) Act, 1984. The committee thus constituted comprises of one member from the trader, three from amongst the primary collector other than the state govt. out of which two should be from amongst the schedule tribes and one representative of manufacturers. After the price has been fixed it is then communicated to the local villagers through pamphlets/announcements at the local hat. Pamphlets also include other information related to procurement.

Benefit from Shudh EkMusta Pranali

Earlier the F.D.C. used to procure the products from the agents appointed by it and at the price also fixed by it. After procuring the collected leaves / seeds were transported to the F.D.C. owned godowns and remained there until they were sold. After the leaves were stored in the godowns tenders were invited from interested parties for the purchase of these leaves and the leaves were sold to the trader who quoted the highest price.

But this system had many problems. Storage of the leaves by the F.D.C. created problems because with the passage of time the quality of the leaves deteriorates and does not fetch the desired price, which amounted to huge losses being sustained by the F.D.C. In the present policy the F.D.C. has only to gain both financially and infrastructurally. The profit earned under this system has wiped out all the losses incurred under the previous system.

Storage system and Technique:

Packing and storage of the collected produce should be done inside bags supplied or stamped by the F.D.C.. After packaging is complete, TP1 is issued to the trader to transport the produce to the godown, which should either be owned by the F.D.C. or registered with it. Tp1 and delivery order is issued upon seeing the insurance papers + approval of quantity. Prior paper in writing has to be submitted to the F.D.C. by the trader whereby he has to show the agreement reached between the trader and the godown owner, condition of the godown, capacity, location and rent. The godown has two locks one lock is of the trader and the other is of the F.D.C.. The lock is opened by the F.D.C. and the trader is allowed to take out volume of produce against the amount deposited with the F.D.C.
The organisational structure for FDC

Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited (TRIFED) is a national level apex body set up in 1987 to assist the tribal people to procure and market NTFP and surplus agricultural produce (SAP) grown/collected by them. TRIFED has undertaken procurement through organisations Like State Tribal Development Cooperative Corporations (TDCCs), State Forest Development Corporations (FDCs), LAMPS, and other representative organisations of tribal. In the state of Jharkhand TRIFED is presently engaged in the buying and selling of mainly Mahua flower, Karanj, Kusum and Chironji.

There are two channels for procurement of produce in TRIFED.
1. Through Agency:
There are 178 LAMPS located in remote areas, for the procurement of NTFP in the state of Jharkhand. TRIFED procures through TCDC, which in turn procures the Sal seed from LAMPS.
2. Direct purchase:
TRIFED purchases directly from LAMPS.

Procurement Price and Target determination:
The procurement price and target for the NTFP is fixed by a committee comprising of the representatives of TRIFED, TCDC, primary collectors and the Collectorate. After fixing the target for the year the required amount is budgeted and sent to the head office for approval. The procurement price is revised weekly based on the market survey conducted by TRIFED.

Storage:
For storage of the collected material TRIFED hires godown/ cold storage, depending on the product, from FDC/ private on rental basis.

Sale System:

Problems faced:

• All States have different level policies for different NTFP so as a central agency TRIFED has problems in defining a general policy towards each NTFP.
• The TRIFED has to pay tax twice so the profitability of the institution decreases.

The organisational structure for TRIFED is

Raw Material Bank: R.M.B.

Raw material Bank for purchase of tasar cocoons and tasar silk waste etc. was set up in Chaibasa, West Singhbhum district (Jharkhand) in 1972 with the aim of ensuring fair price to the primary growers and supply of cocoons to the actual users at a steady price and also to protect the interest of the rearers from being exploited at the hands of the middlemen. It works on the principle of No Profit No Loss.

Price fixation And Procurement system

In order to ensure fair price to the primary growers of tasar cocoons, a minimum support price (floor price) based on the cost of production and prevailing market rate of tasar reeled yarn is fixed by a committee known as the Tropical Tasar Advisory committee of RMB headed by the director CTR&TI , Ranchi, as chairman. The minimum support price thus fixed, is operationalised by RMB by way of wide publicity through handbill, pamphlets, in the local market of Singhbhum district and also through leading newspapers. If the prevailing market rate is at par with RMB support price or below, RMB procures tasar cocoons at its support price, and if the prevailing market rate is higher than RMB price, RMB ensures that the primary growers get the increased price from the traders in order to protect the interest of the rearers.

The amount / target nos. of reelable cocoons which RMB has to buy annually from primary tasar grower and CSB's tasar unit is also fixed in the advisory committee meeting. The tasar cocoon stock thus procured by operationalisation of RMB's support price as well as stock procured from the CSB's units are disposed to the actual users at steady price in order to assess the fluctuation of market price and stability.

The collected and processed cocoons are kept inside stacks according to grades and stored in godowns. The precautions undertaken while storing are:

• The cocoon should be fully dry
• The godown should be rat & water proof
• Steps should be undertaken for proper aeration of the godown.
  

The policy is that these collected graded and processed cocoons have to be sold at fixed price to khadi Gram Udyog and nowhere else. Other buyers can only be approached when there is no demand of cocoons from Khadi Gram Udyog.

LAMPS (Large Area Multiple Purpose Society)

Procurement System & Pricing

It is basically a cooperative organisation, which has the primary collectors as its members. It was established in 1978 and the aim of this organisation is to save the primary collectors from being exploited at the hands of the middlemen/trader. There are a total of 178 LAMPS in the state of Jharkhand and are located mainly in areas where there is a dominance of tribal population. Every block has four LAMPS. Offices are located at Block level, District level and state level.

In the state of Jharkhand LAMPS is presently engaged in the buying and selling of mainly Mahua flower, Lac, Chironji, Imli, Honey, Harra, Beheda, Amla. The procurement price of NTFP is fixed and the Lamps buy the produce at this price from the produce collected from its members and other primary collectors. The collected produce is then transported to either the processing unit of LAMP's itself (if there is one), or to TCDC / TRIFED based on the order previously placed with the organisation.

Concerns

Only a limited number of NTFP are being traded by the LAMPS. The volume that is actually being traded by the LAMPS is also very limited thereby restricting the scope of the organisation. Because the major share/chunk of the NTFP being traded actually passes into the hands of the private trader, which constricts the main aim for which the organisation has been formed.

The organisational structure for LAMPS is:

Price and Target determination

The procurement price and target for the NTFP is fixed by a committee comprising of the representatives of TRIFED, LAMPS, primary collectors and the Collectorate. The committee conducts meetings and evaluates the prices prevalent in the local market and then based on these facts fixes the procurement price. This price is then communicated to all the block and district level offices and it is at this price that the LAMPS are authorized to procure the NTFP.

Problems faced

• The trading of NTFP is too much dependant on the purchase order given by TRIFED / TCDC. The result is that they only trade in those commodities whose demand is given.
• Advance payment being made by the private traders creates competition for the organisation because the primary collector is bound to sell to the trader who has given him money in advance.
• Sometimes the procurement price being paid by the trader is higher than that of the organisation.