Cocoon prices dip; farmers unhappy - Chinese silk major threat to local cocoon farmers

Tirupati: Depleting ground water tables, increase in production costs, hike in labour charges and falling prices of products discouraged farmers from cultivating Mulberry plants. As a result the production of cocoons fell this year. Compared to last year, there was a 40 per cent fall in the production of cocoons this year. In March last year, the average cocoon arrivals in Madanapalle market were over two tonnes. However, this year the just 1.50 tonnes of cocoons arrived in the market. About 1700 acres of land remained idle this year out of the total cultivable land of 4600 acres for Mulberry cultivation due to ground water depletion. Two years back, the total cultivable land for Mulberry cultivation was about 19,000 acres. A Ram Prasad Reddy, Assistant Director, Sericulture Department, Madanapalle, said that last year a total of 480 tonnes of cocoons reached the market. However, Prasad Reddy was not expecting similar levels of arrivals this year as cultivation decreased. The prices of cocoons also dipped to below Rs 250 per kg this year compared to last year's price of Rs 350, he added. A Farmers left about 700 acres of cultivated land idle this year due to the non-availability of ground water and about 1000 acres of land was kept aside by farmers as the production is unprofitable, he pointed out. The rise in prices of fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides and labour charges are also one of the reasons for the fall in cocoon price. A He also said that as the market price is more in Karnataka state, many farmers are directly selling their product there rather than bringing it to Madanapalle market.A Speaking to The Hans India, Narsimhulu, a farmer of Muthukuru village in Pedapanjani mandal, said that he is spending about Rs 20,000 on each acre to cultivate Mulberry and production of silk from cocoon eggs. "We are purchasing 100 eggs at a cost of Rs. 1600 to grow in sheds depending on Mulberry crop in an acre area. A We can expect silk after 25 days and every year we will get three times production. If the Mulberry crop is good, we will get about 70 kgs of silk in the first installment followed by 60 and 50 kgs in the next two installments. Whether there is crop or not, we have to maintain at least five labourers on any given day by paying Rs 200-250 per head per day," he said. Farmers from Nellore, Khammam, Krishna and East and West Godavari districts came to Madanapalle market on Tuesday morning with cocoon production. They said that the market price in Hanuman Junction is about Rs 160/kg, and hence brought their produce here to sell for a price of about Rs 250/kg. China Silk is also a major threat to cocoon farmers here, because buyers are showing more interest to import China Silk as it is cheap and better in quality. Earlier, not less than four quintals of cocoons arrived at Madanapalle market on a daily basis, but the arrivals slumped to just 2.50 quintals this season. Ramprasad Reddy, Assistant Director, said that in Chittoor district farmers in 16 mandals like Kuppam, Santhipuram, Palamaneru and Madanapalli, Tamballapalle, B Kothakota, Kurabalakota and others are growing cocoons. Hindupur is also one of the major markets in the State, he pointed out. About a lakh families are dependent on the cultivation of Mulberry crops and sericulture in Palamaneru, Madanapalli, Punganuru, Tamballapalle and Kuppam. The Mulberry cultivation is spread across 19,000 acres in the above mandals producing about 199.32 lakh silk worms and about 480 metric tonnes of cocoons. A The average yield is 58.39 kgs per acre. Few farmers are confining themselves to the production of Mulberry crop and selling it to other farmers, who in turn are focused in the production of cocoon eggs and silk threads. In Chittoor district, Santhipuram (near Kuppam) established a record in the production of cocoons by producing 3,541 metric tonnes three years ago followed by Palamaner with 3,142 tonnes. A However, due to multiple problems facing the farmers, the production of Mulberry plants, silk, and cocoon eggs was decreasing year-by-year.