With cocoon production yielding rich dividends, more farmers are taking up the activities in the district during the current year.
India’s silk industry is the world’s second largest after China contributing to about 18 per cent to the world production. While the demand for silk in the State is about 3,000 tones every year, about 1,900 tones are produced every year in the State. Though all the five kinds of silk is produced across the country, over 70 per cent of the production in the State is mulberry silk. The larva of mulberry silk moth grows for about 25 days feeding mulberry leaves and the fully matured larva spins to protect itself just before the pupa state forming the cocoon. A Government Seed Farm is located at a sprawling 13.10 acre at Semmedu in Kolli Hills where seed cocoons are produced and sold to farmers.
Officials of the Department of Sericulture said that 1,179 farmers were involved in mulberry cultivation in 1,811 acre in the district in the past five years. They were given assistance and grants for installing drip irrigation system, constructing rearing sheds and purchase of gadgets and for cultivation. They added that Bivoltine cocoon production was mostly undertaken and farmers were encouraged to adopt modern silkworm rearing techniques for improving productivity.
K. Palanivel (61) of Eachankadu in Vennandur Union, who is involved in sericulture activities for the past nine years, said that he received Rs. 10,500 per acre as grant for cultivating mulberry and is keen to increase the area under cultivation.
In 2015-16, 477.50 tone of cocoon was produced in the district in which 399.60 tones is Venpattu (white silk). Officials said that in 2016, about 700 acre of land is currently under mulberry cultivation as farmers have showed interest in the activities. Farmers sell their final product, cocoon, in the markets in Anaimedu in Salem and in Dharmapuri.
