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Silk production records growth in Kerala
Monday, 06 October 2003, 19:30 IST
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Silk production is on the rise in Kerala, propelled by sustained efforts by the state government over the last two years.
Production in the first five months of the current fiscal till August has been 1.6 tonnes against 2.6 tonnes during 2002-03 and 2.56 tonnes in fiscal 2001-02, officials said.
Karnataka accounts for 60 percent of the 15,000 tonnes of silk produced annually in the country.
While silk production in Karnataka dates back to the late 18th century, sericulture was introduced in Kerala's Wayanad district only in the early 1970s.
For manifold reasons, nothing of significance happened and the project started by the Central Silk Board had to be abandoned.
In 1989, the then government allotted some money for sericulture operations, which were brought under the Khadi and Village Industries Board.
But, even as things were picking up, the board decided to delink its sericulture operations and they were brought under an autonomous body named Serifed in October 1994.
Simultaneously, several field workers, the backbone of the sericulture operations, were given their marching orders and this eventually halted the industry in the state.
The second attempt at revival came soon after Chief Minister A.K. Antony assumed office in 2001.
Since then, the area under mulberry trees has increased from 1,323 acres in 2001-02 to 2,474 acres in August 2003. The number of silk farmers has also jumped to 1,797 from just 565 in 2001-02.
K.T. Joseph a farmer in Kottayam, estimates that one acre of mulberry cultivation can yield an average profit of 
60,000 a year.
"The biggest advantage of mulberry cultivation and rearing of cocoons is that this could be managed by the members of the household itself. It is also eco-friendly," he said.
A revitalised Serifed says serious efforts are under way to make sericulture a practical and viable occupation for agriculturists in Kerala.
"Today we have the world's best mulberry trees and the best silkworms which produce the world's best quality silk," claimed Serifed chairman Victor T. Thomas.
To regenerate interest among farmers, Serifed has given 1.6 million as subsidy to 48 farmers in the last two months.
"This is the first time that subsidies have been released since 2000," said Thomas.
Source: IANS
60,000 a year.
"The biggest advantage of mulberry cultivation and rearing of cocoons is that this could be managed by the members of the household itself. It is also eco-friendly," he said.
A revitalised Serifed says serious efforts are under way to make sericulture a practical and viable occupation for agriculturists in Kerala.
"Today we have the world's best mulberry trees and the best silkworms which produce the world's best quality silk," claimed Serifed chairman Victor T. Thomas.
To regenerate interest among farmers, Serifed has given 1.6 million as subsidy to 48 farmers in the last two months.
"This is the first time that subsidies have been released since 2000," said Thomas.
Source: IANS