Introduction to Shellac

Shellac, a natural resin produced by the lac bug, has been used for various purposes for over 3,000 years, originating in India. It is used to give a shine to candies like jelly beans and preserve citrus fruit. India remains the largest shellac producer, exporting over $65 million worth annually. However, the industry faces risks due to fluctuating harvests and prices.

The Production Process

The process begins with farmers implanting lac bugs onto tree branches, where they feed on sap and secrete the resin. Females of the Lac insect secrete a resin that hardens into a protective nest, which becomes valuable shellac. Approximately 300,000 insects are needed to produce one kilo of shellac. The harvested shellac is then sold to local markets and eventually processed in factories.

• Crushing and washing the lac
• Drying to prevent mold and make resin extraction easier
• Grading by size and cleaning of sticks and stones
• Melting in a kiln and separating the lac from impurities using a cloth tube

Manufacturing and Export

The shellac is made in a factory where temperatures can reach 113°F. Workers use a tool called a pipa and palm leaves to spread and even out the shellac, then remove and stretch it once cooled. Traditionally, this process was done by hand, but machines have largely replaced it, making the process four times faster. The shellac is then hung to harden, chopped into thin pieces, and exported to be used for polishing items like candies and cashew nuts.

Global Industry and Applications

Shellac has been valued for 3,000 years for its versatility, with uses including a rich crimson dye, strong glue, and shiny water-resistant finish. It has been used in various applications such as paints, gramophone records, wood paneling, pharmaceuticals, and food glazes. The global industry is worth over $167 million, with India being the primary source and the US being the world’s largest importer.

• Food-safe additive in treats like jelly beans and candy corn
• Coating for citrus fruits to extend shelf life
• Polishing items like candies and cashew nuts

Challenges and Future Prospects

Thousands of people depend on shellac for a living, but the price has fluctuated, leading some to seek alternative income sources like farming due to the challenges of raising the insects that produce shellac, largely caused by the climate crisis. Intensifying rainstorms and heat due to the climate crisis are causing fungal infestations and drying up trees, threatening the food source of lac insects. An NGO is educating farmers on using fungicides to increase production and help Indian lac producers preserve their industry.

Key Vocabulary

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Vocabulary Quiz

1. Which country is the largest producer of shellac and exports over $65 million worth annually?

A) United States
B) China
C) India
D) Brazil

2. What is the primary purpose of drying the harvested shellac in the production process?

A) To make the resin extraction harder
B) To prevent mold and make resin extraction easier
C) To increase the price of shellac
D) To reduce the number of insects needed

3. According to traditional methods, what tools are used to spread and even out the shellac?

A) Machines and metal leaves
B) A pipa and palm leaves
C) A cloth tube and sticks
D) A kiln and stones

4. What is a major challenge facing the shellac industry due to the climate crisis?

A) Decrease in demand for shellac products
B) Intensifying rainstorms and heat causing fungal infestations and drying up trees
C) Increase in the number of lac insects
D) Reduction in the price of shellac

5. What is one of the uses of shellac as a food-safe additive?

A) Coating for wood paneling
B) Polishing items like cashew nuts
C) Additive in treats like jelly beans and candy corn
D) Ingredient in pharmaceuticals

Answer Key:

1. C
2. B
3. B
4. B
5. C

Grammar Focus

Grammar Focus: The Use of the Present Simple and Present Perfect Tenses to Describe General Truths and Completed Actions

Grammar Quiz:

1. Which of the following sentences best describes a general truth using the present simple tense?

• India has been the largest shellac producer for many years.
• India remains the largest shellac producer, exporting over $65 million worth annually.
• Thousands of people are depending on shellac for a living.
• The climate crisis is causing fungal infestations.

2. Which tense is used in the sentence “The global industry is worth over $167 million” to describe the current state of the industry?

• Past simple
• Present simple
• Present perfect
• Future simple

3. Identify the correct form of the present perfect tense in the following options to describe an action that started in the past and continues up to the present.

• Thousands of people depend on shellac for a living.
• Thousands of people have depended on shellac for a living.
• Thousands of people are depending on shellac for a living.
• Thousands of people were depending on shellac for a living.

4. Which sentence uses the present simple to describe a habitual action or routine?

• The lac bugs are secreting a resin that hardens into a protective nest.
• Females of the Lac insect secrete a resin that hardens into a protective nest.
• The workers have been using a tool called a pipa to spread the shellac.
• The factory is producing shellac four times faster than traditional methods.

5. Choose the sentence that best represents a completed action with a connection to the present, using the present perfect tense.

• India remains the largest shellac producer.
• The US has been the world’s largest importer of shellac.
• Thousands of people depend on shellac for their livelihood.
• The climate crisis is affecting the lac insect population.

Answer Key:

1. India remains the largest shellac producer, exporting over $65 million worth annually.

2. Present simple

3. Thousands of people have depended on shellac for a living.

4. Females of the Lac insect secrete a resin that hardens into a protective nest.

5. The US has been the world’s largest importer of shellac.