BETTER FUTURE? A weaver spinning the tussar thread in Chennur.

CHENNUR (ADILABAD DT.): The cocoon of anonymity enveloping the tribal farmers engaged in tussar silk cultivation in Adilabad's Chennur area would break soon. Entrepreneurs from other States are now planning to set up processing units for local tussar.

This will give the 1,000 families engaged in tussar farming exposure in the national level too. Other local developments will silken their lives further. Exquisite sarees made with tussar silk are in great demand across the country.

The tussar farmers, mostly belonging to the primitive tribal group of Manne, have been into rearing the non-mulberry tussar silk worm since ages.

The State Government began facilitating tussar culture and sale of cocoons in 1952 when it opened a full-fledged office at Chennur.

Variable results

Each family earns about Rs. 20,000 annually from the activity. "But, the success of a particular tussar farming season depends upon cocoon purchasers from other States. For more stability, the DRDA-Indira Kranti Patham has come forward to purchase cocoons through its village organisations comprising women's self help groups.

Efforts are also being made for a factory to be established here," revealed the Sericulture Assistant Director B. Bhushanam. At present, a small reeling unit has been started at Chennur to spin the silk yarn employing local weaver women.

Plea for land

The Ramkrishna Udyog in Maharashtra has evinced interest in establishment of such a unit here. Sonkusre Ramkrishna, the entrepreneur from Maharashtra disclosed, "We have requested the administration to allot us land for setting up a factory to process and make sarees and other goods from the silk.

This Rs. 1-crore unit will employ 100 local weaver families too. A dyeing and painting unit and a peduncle and waste material processing unit would also form part of the factory".

Showrooms

Mr. Ramkrishna said he has also urged the State Government for allotment of a sales counter to him at the State's showroom at Hyderabad.

"For marketing of finished product from the Chennur factory we will open showrooms in metros later," added the entrepreneur.

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