Production and Cost of Chir-Pine Resin Tapping by Bore-Hole Method in Narendranagar Forest Division

Oleoresin is a non-timber forest product of Pine around the world. Oleoresin is an abundant source of terpenes which generally has two major fractions namely turpentine and rosin. Turpentine is a volatile fraction whereas rosin is a solid fraction. Terpenes have great potential and conventional uses. The present study was conducted to investigate the production and cost of chir-pine resin tapping by the Bore-Hole method in the Narandrangar forest division. The borehole method involves the drilling of holes in the stem of Pinus, spraying the chemical stimulants like sulphuric acid, nitric acid, and ethephon, and installation of an apparatus on which oleoresin is collected. We have selected the three compartments of Narendrangar forest division viz. Udkhanda Compartment No. 13, Fakot Compartment No. 2, and Advani Compartment No. 1 with a total of 240, 137, and 683 trees of Pinus with varied diameter ranges of 70-80 cm, 60-70 cm, 50-60 cm, 40-50 cm, 30-40 cm, and 20-30 cm, in July, August, and September. The total oleoresin production was 162.60 ltr in Udkhanda, 56.48 ltr in Fakot, and 241.95 ltr in Advani. It was observed that 50-60 cm and 40-50 cm contributed the maximum yield with 15.55 ltr and 14.52 ltr of oleoresin in all three months whereas in Fakhot and Advani, 40-50 cm and 50-60 cm diameters contributed the maximum oleoresin production with 8.96 ltr, 7.57 ltr, 33.52 ltr, and 8.56 ltr yield. Further, our results also showed that the production of oleoresin varied significantly in the bore-hole method with 8.36 ltr per tree as compared to the rill method with 2.36 ltr in three months. The purity of yield also enhanced the rate of oleoresin which can be concluded that the bore-hole method can be implemented in all other forest divisions of Uttarakhand for sustainability and livelihood.