Economic Analysis of Tasar Silk Production and Arjuna Plantation Management in Chhattisgarh, India

Forest-based tasar sericulture is a supplementary livelihood activity in Chhattisgarh, particularly among rural and tribal communities. This study examined the establishment and maintenance costs of Arjuna (Terminalia arjuna) plantations and described the involvement of self-help groups (SHGs) in tasar cocoon production and marketing. The study covered Bastar, Korba, Jashpur and Raigarh districts, selected purposively. Primary information was collected through interviews and questionnaires involving SHGs and tasar seed-centre personnel, while secondary information was obtained from government sericulture records and relevant publications. The average plantation establishment cost was Rs. 98,721.50 per hectare. Labour accounted for 60.37% of this expenditure, followed by materials (24.16%), machinery (13.01%) and miscellaneous items (2.46%). Annual maintenance costs increased from Rs. 20,831 per hectare in the second year to Rs. 29,244 in the fifth year. Across the four maintenance years, manure and fertilisers represented the largest expenditure category (28.87%), followed by watch and ward (19.52%) and pruning and cutting (17.37%). SHGs participated in cocoon rearing with departmental supervision and access to disease-free layings, and marketed cocoons through private traders or cocoon banks. Grading and careful packaging were described as important post-production activities. The results show that plantation establishment is labour-intensive and that recurrent maintenance expenditure constitutes an ongoing cost. Institutional guidance and marketing support may help strengthen tasar-based livelihoods; however, the reported data do not establish cocoon profitability or net household income gains.