Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Saturday, Apr 12, 2003
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Saturday, Apr 12, 2003 |
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Agri-Biz & Commodities
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Silk Silk production in Bengal on the rise Our Bureau
KOLKATA, April 11 THERE has been a seven per cent increase in mulberry production in West Bengal in 2002-03 compared to the previous year. Sources said that production of mulberry was expected to be around 14.5 lakh kg in 2002-03 compared to 14.07 in 2001-02. West Bengal, which has 30,032 acres under mulberry cultivation achieved a quantum jump in 2001-02. This was due to the replacement of local varieties with high-yielding varieties (HYV) of mulberry. Moreover, the crop flourished since there were no natural calamities such as drought or flood during that year. Sources said that introducing high yield variety of mulberry was one of the tenets of the strategy devised by the State Government to boost the sericulture sector. While the State produces all four commercial categories of silk — mulberry, tasar, eri and muga the acreage under mulberry is the maximum followed closely by tasar for which there is considerable demand in the State. Nearly 1.1 lakh farmers and their families have taken to mulberry cultivation in West Bengal, sources said. "Besides introducing HYV mulberry, the State Government also plays a role in popularising bio-fertiliser, growth hormone and organic manure, since chemical fertilisers impact the silk quality,'' sources said. The Central Silk Board has also helped by designing special types of spinning wheels which help the spinner augment their daily income. At least two programmes with overseas aid is under implementation in West Bengal's sericulture sector. These include the one being assisted by the Swiss Agency for Development and Co operation for improving silk quality and a UNDP programme for developing the non-mulberry silk sector. While mulberry silk is mainly produced in the north Bengal districts of Malda, Murhsidabad and in Birbhum, tasar and the other varieties are produced in Bankura, Purulia, Cooch-behar and Jalpaiguri. The industry covers 1.18 lakh farmer families.
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