Tamil Nadu - Erode   

Cocoon production doubles in Erode

Staff Reporter

Financial assistance, free consultancy service available for farmers in Erode district

ERODE: After the introduction of new technologies and techniques in sericulture, cocoon production has doubled in Erode district, the Assistant Director, Sericulture, Erode, V. Kolappa Pillai, told mediapersons on Monday.

Sericulture is a labour-intensive agro-based industry. Rural women comprise more than 60 per cent of the workforce in the industry. Their sincerity and hard work had brought dividends to them.

Low investment

Mulberry cultivation per acre would provide employment to three persons for a year. Sericulture was one of the cottage industries where maximum employment generation was possible with a little capital investment, the Assistant Director said.

Bivoltine rearing

He said that during the current financial year, farmers were motivated to plant high-yielding mulberry varieties to increase productivity. The Department of Sericulture was conducting periodical awareness meetings for sericulture farmers on bivoltine (white cocoon) rearing.

Financial assistance was arranged by the department for rural women engaged in mulberry cultivation and silkworm rearing. Help was also provided to SC/ST farmers.

Mr. Kolappa Pillai said that from January to September, mulberry was planted on 1,976 acres in the district and 541 tonnes of cocoons produced. During the corresponding period last year, the quantity produced was only 229 tonnes. Special financial assistance was given for installing drip irrigation facility in mulberry farms.

Subsidy given

Under the Part II Scheme, Rs. 500 per acre was given to each farmer as plantation subsidy for mulberry cultivation. To guide sericulture farmers and promote new technologies, 10 technical service centres are functioning in Erode district. Farmers can avail themselves of the consultancy service from the centres free of cost.

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