Kakinada: Sericulture brings cheers to farmers

Kakinada: High dividends from sericulture have brought cheers to the farmers in East Godavari district. The State government is also giving a boost to silk cultivations by providing subsidy to farmers.

At present the farmers are getting Rs 350 a kg for byvoltine cocoons (white) and Rs 250 a kg for crossbreed yellow byvoltine cocoons. Total production of two verities during 2019-20 was 1,296 metric tonnes as against 1,223.95 metric tonnes in 2018-19 and 945 metric tonnes in 2017-18. The government is providing Rs 9 lakh subsidy under MNREGS (Rs 6 lakhs) and Sericulture Department (Rs.3 lakhs). The type-1 farmer with three acres holding has to invest Rs 1 lakh towards his contribution. The farmers with holdings below three acres are eligible get Rs 4.50 lakh out of its Rs 6 lakh, which amounts to 75 per cent subsidy. The government also supplies chalky worms to the farmers as per their requirement.

In the past, the farmers used to suffer huge los in sericulture in the absence of chalky worms. "But now, the government is supplying chalky worms as per the requirement and this helps the farmers promote sericulture without any difficulty,'' said B Ramana Raju, Deputy Director of Sericulture. He said due to the encouragement given by the government, more and more farmers are evincing interest in sericulture and at present, the sericulture spread over 2,300 hectares in 18 mandals, such as Gollaprolu, Prathipadu, Sankhavaram, Tuni, Kotananduru, Rajavommangi, Gangavaram and a few others in East Godavari District.

He said that a purchasing centre has been set up in the Market Yard at Chebrolu under Gollaprolu mandal. The farmers need not sell their product only at Chebrolu market, they can sell it in other districts or States wherever they secure higher price.

Considering the fact that 70 per cent of mulberry plantation in the State spread across Rayalaseema, with Chittoor contributing a significant share, the district administration aims at strengthening the existing reeling units at East Godavari. The administration is considering providing incentives for the industry.

According to officials, the farmers in Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram district are selling their produce in Chebrolu Market. The East Godavari farmers are sometimes selling their product at Anantapur and Chittoor as whenever they secure higher price."

In agency areas also, the farmers are getting good yielding in Tasar cocoons in agency mandals, such as Kunavaram and VR Puram, Chinturu which have 56 villages. As many as 1,600 farmers are promoting the sericulture in 3,000 hectares in agency area. According to them, they can yield 10 lakh of unripe fruits (nuts) per hectare and the farmers can reap Rs 2 per fruit and three crops per year.