Bengaluru: Govt to buy raw silk from farmers to protect them from price crash

Bengaluru: State Sericulture Minister Dr Narayana Gowda instructed department officers to buy raw silk from farmers to protect them from sudden price crash. The Minister held a meeting with the officials at Vidhansouda on Monday and discussed the background of the sudden fall in the price of silk. Minister Dr. Narayana Gowda discussed the measures to be taken to protect the farmers from the fall in prices.

He got information from the officials about the reason for the sudden fall in the price of silk which had been stable for the last two years. A sudden fall in the price of raw silk cocoon should not be a problem for the farmers for any reason. The government should immediately intervene and stand with the silk farmers. He suggested to purchase raw silk through Karnataka Silk Marketing Board (KSMB). A price committee meeting will be called this evening and purchase of raw silk through KSMB should be initiated from tomorrow itself. The price of silk cocoon should reach good condition again. It has seen an increase of 23 per cent in incoming of raw silk in to market since last 15 days. The increase in supply might cause price fall. Also the price may be lower due to some vested interests. The government has taken this seriously and has instructed to buy raw silk through KSMB from tomorrow itself. Minister assured farers that the silk growers should not get worried for any reason.

The minister said that the government is behind the silk growers and will take action to bring the price of silk cocoons back to a good level. A meeting was held in the wake of complaints that silkworms were not ripening even after 15 days in the ,Chikkaballapura and Sidlaghatta area . The minister told scientists of the silk department immediately visit and instructed the officials to report the exact cause. Last week silk growers held a protest and urged the state government to fix price of raw silk Rs 800 per kilo of double silk cocoon , and Rs 600 for CB nest. The silk growers demanded that the price be fixed. The District Silk Growers' Union had warned that otherwise they would take to the streets and fight fiercely. Traders are buying silk cocoons at low prices. The silk growers expressed outrage that the lives of the distressed silk growers have fallen on the streets.