The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Coimbatore News : Area under sericulture on the rise: Minister

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Monday, Aug 04, 2008
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Area under sericulture on the rise: Minister

Staff Reporter

Government will announce minimum support price

Coimbatore: The total area under silk worm rearing has inreased from 10,000 acres to 35,000 acres now, said Minister for Rural Industries and Animal Husbandry, Pongalur N. Palanisamy on Friday.

He was speaking at a function organised here to hand over official vehicles to the Assistant Directors of Sericulture in Erode, Tiruchirapalli, Krishnagiri, Vaniyambadi, Salem and Theni. Mr. Palanisamy said that the State Government and the Chief Minister were according equal importance to sericulture paddy and coconut. Silk worm rearing can fetch up to Rs 1 lakh an acre. The Minister said that the target for silk worm rearing was 1 lakh acres.

Mr. Palanisamy said that India was importing silk as there was short supply. Now, the Union and State Governments were taking steps to increase the silk production. Karnataka produces the highest quantity of silk followed by Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. The Minister said that Chief Minister had enhanced the minimum procurement price for paddy. The minimum support or procurement price for yellow and white silk would be announced soon.

The Commissioner for Sericulture, Harminder Singh, the Joint Director, Chandrasekharan, and officials took part in the function.

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