1999 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Production, marketing and consumption of Tropical non-wood forest products.
| Project/Area Number |
09660161
|
|---|
| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
|
| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
|---|
| Section | 一般 |
|---|
| Research Field |
林学
|
|---|
| Research Institution | KYOTO UNIVERSITY |
|---|
Principal Investigator |
WATANABE Hiroyuki Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Professor, 農学研究科, 教授 (90026633)
|
|---|
| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
KANEKO Takayuki Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Instructor, 農学研究科, 助手 (20233877)
TAKEDA Shinya Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies, Kyoto Univeristy Associate Professor, アジア・アフリカ地域研究所, 助教授 (90212026)
|
|---|
| Project Period (FY) |
1997 – 1999
|
| Keywords | Tropical non-wood forest products / Tropics / Lac / Shellac / Rain tree (Samanea saman) / Food dyes / Lac insect |
|---|
| Research Abstract |
Lac (Shellac) is a resin form material secreted from lac insect (Laccifer lacc). In tropical Asia, lac insect is inoculated to various host tress such as Schleichera oleosa, Butea monosperma, Samanea saman and Zizyphus mauritiana, etc. and lac is harvested. Lac imported to Japan is refined and the wax is then used for electric insulating material, paints, adhesion and coating materials for medicine tablets, foods and fruits. The pigment is also extracted and used as a dye for foods. The imported amount in 1980 was about 1,800 t, however, in 1998, the value drastically decreased to 537 t, about 1/4 of that in 1980. Shortage and instability of supply results in price rises and accelerates the replacement of natural lac with substitute chemical synthesis while the demand is high. Regreening around rural villages in tropical Asia is essential for the recovery of a rural life environment and even for global environmental conservation. Inoculation of lac insects to those trees planted and the harvest of lac evidently contributes to rural economics. Establishment of a trusting relationship between producers in tropical Asia and consumers in developed countries may be the only way to maintain a stable supply.
|
