The Hindu : Business : Sericulture sector records substantial growth

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Wednesday, Mar 01, 2006

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Business

Sericulture sector records substantial growth

Staff Reporter

Serifed strengthens activities by forming 40 clusters covering 125 panchayats

KANNUR: Kerala State Sericulture Co-operative Federation Ltd. (Serifed) chairman Victor T. Thomas has said that the State's sericulture sector has recorded substantial growth in mulberry cultivation and cocoon production over the years.

He told a press conference here on Tuesday that cocoon production in the State had achieved record production, thanks to the policies favourable for the promotion of sericulture with a comprehensive perspective. Cocoon production in the State had gone up from 30 metric tonnes in 2001-02 to 80 metric tonnes in the last financial year, Mr. Thomas said.

He added that it was expected to increase to 100 metric tonnes in the current financial year.

Mr. Thomas said over 4,500 farmers were presently involved in mulberry cultivation and related activities in a total extent of 3,400 acres in the State. There were several cases of farmers converting areas under even rubber, arecanut and plantain cultivation to mulberry farming as the latter was more profitable than any other cultivation, he said. Moreover, sericulture offered job opportunities as it had equal significance in agricultural and industrial areas.

The Serifed chairman said that a farmer at Padavil Kalichanadukkam in Kasaragod district had converted his rubber cultivation in one acre area by planting 5,000 mulberry plants. He was now earning a profit of Rs.1.2 lakhs a year, Mr. Thomas said. Another farmer in Vellarikkundu in Kasaragod converted his arecanut plantation into sericulture and was making profits, he added.

The chairman said in the Kannur district, production as of now in the current fiscal year was seven metric tonnes, the major portion of which came from the Iritty block.

A Serifed sub-centre was opened at Iritty here on Tuesday, he said.

After the machinery for stifling cocoons was set up at the centre, cocoon procurement would begin here, he said.

Mr. Thomas said that the Serifed strengthened sericulture activities by forming 40 clusters covering 125 panchayats.

It had also entered into the garment sector and released silk saris under the brand name of Keral Silk. The other major achievements included implementation of a community silk-weaving project, opening of a showroom in Thiruvananthapuram, a model mulberry plantation in Kollam district, a cocoon market in Palakkad and a silk yarn marketing facility in Kasaragod, among other things, he added.

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