SERICULTURE

Facts About Silk Chinese history credits the invention of silk fabric to Yuen Fei, the concubine of an Emperor who ruled in 2,600 B.C. Legend has it she dropped a cocoon into hot tea and it unraveled. She, by reason of the discovery, has been deified and is worshipped as the goddess of silk worms. Tasar silk is produced by silkworms that feed on oak leaves. The finest quality silk is made by mulberry silk moth, which, feeds on mulberry leaves. The average cocoon contains 300-400 meters of silk. It takes about 5500 silkworms to produce 1 kg (2.2lb) of raw silk! One ounce of eggs produces about 20,000 worms, which consume a ton of mulberry leaves during their lifetime.

Chinese history credits the invention of silk fabric to Yuen Fei, the concubine of an Emperor who ruled in 2,600 B.C. Legend has it she dropped a cocoon into hot tea and it unraveled. She, by reason of the discovery, has been deified and is worshipped as the goddess of silk worms. Tasar silk is produced by silkworms that feed on oak leaves.

The finest quality silk is made by mulberry silk moth, which, feeds on mulberry leaves. The average cocoon contains 300-400 meters of silk.

It takes about 5500 silkworms to produce 1 kg (2.2lb) of raw silk!

One ounce of eggs produces about 20,000 worms, which consume a ton of mulberry leaves during their lifetime.

What is Sericulture? A technique of silk production - an agro-industry, playing an eminent role in the rural economy of India. Silk-fibre is a protein produced from the silk-glands of silkworms. It involves rearing of silkworms for the production of raw silk, which is the yarn obtained out of cocoons spun by certain species of insects. Major activities of sericulture comprises of food-plant cultivation to feed the silkworms which spin silk cocoons and reeling the cocoons for unwinding the silk filament for value added benefits such as processing and weaving .

A technique of silk production - an agro-industry, playing an eminent role in the rural economy of India.

Silk-fibre is a protein produced from the silk-glands of silkworms.

It involves rearing of silkworms for the production of raw silk, which is the yarn obtained out of cocoons spun by certain species of insects.

Major activities of sericulture comprises of food-plant cultivation to feed the silkworms which spin silk cocoons and reeling the cocoons for unwinding the silk filament for value added benefits such as processing and weaving .

Factors Influencing Sericulture Scarcity of Land – Its Marginal Quality Adaptability of mulberry to wide range of soil quality Availability of surplus labour at low cost Few competing cash crops available with comparable advantage in small holdings Few comparable opportunities for earning off-farm income Strong domestic market typically conductive to small farmers

Scarcity of Land – Its Marginal Quality

Adaptability of mulberry to wide range of soil quality

Availability of surplus labour at low cost

Few competing cash crops available with comparable advantage in small holdings

Few comparable opportunities for earning off-farm income

Strong domestic market typically conductive to small farmers

Why Sericulture? High Employment Potential 60 lakh persons are engaged in various sericulture activities in the country Every 3.07 kg of silk produced and used in handlooms generates gainful employment of one man year. This potential is par-excellence and no other industry generates this kind of employment, specially in rural areas, hence, sericulture is used as a tool for rural reconstruction.

High Employment Potential

60 lakh persons are engaged in various sericulture activities in the country

Every 3.07 kg of silk produced and used in handlooms generates gainful employment of one man year.

This potential is par-excellence and no other industry generates this kind of employment, specially in rural areas, hence, sericulture is used as a tool for rural reconstruction.

Provides vibrancy to village economies Share of income to different groups : 56.8 percent to cocoon grower 6.8 percent to the reeler 9.1 percent to the twister 10.7 percent to the weaver 16.6 percent to the trade Thus , large chunk of income goes back to the villages from the cities.

Share of income to different groups :

56.8 percent to cocoon grower

6.8 percent to the reeler

9.1 percent to the twister

10.7 percent to the weaver

16.6 percent to the trade

Thus , large chunk of income goes back to the villages from the cities.

Eco-Friendly Activity As a perennial crop with good foliage and root-spread, mulberry contributes to soil conservation & provides green cover. Waste from silkworm rearing can be recycled as inputs to garden. Dried mulberry twigs and branches are used as fuel in place of firewood and therefore reduce the pressure on forest. Developmental programmes initiated for mulberry plantation are mainly in upland areas where un-used cultivable land is made productive. Mulberry can also be cultivated as intercrop with numerous plantations. Mulberry being a deep-rooted perennial plant can be raised in vacant lands, hill slopes and watershed areas. Currently, only about 0.1 percent of the arable land in the country is under mulberry cultivation.

As a perennial crop with good foliage and root-spread, mulberry contributes to soil conservation & provides green cover.

Waste from silkworm rearing can be recycled as inputs to garden.

Dried mulberry twigs and branches are used as fuel in place of firewood and therefore reduce the pressure on forest.

Developmental programmes initiated for mulberry plantation are mainly in upland areas where un-used cultivable land is made productive.

Mulberry can also be cultivated as intercrop with numerous plantations.

Mulberry being a deep-rooted perennial plant can be raised in vacant lands, hill slopes and watershed areas.

Currently, only about 0.1 percent of the arable land in the country is under mulberry cultivation.

Satisfy Equity Concerns Benefits of sectoral value-addition primarily accrue to rural households. As the end-product users are mostly from the higher economic groups, the money flows from high end groups to low end groups. Cases of landless families engaged in cocoon production using mulberry contracted from local farmers are common in some states.

Benefits of sectoral value-addition primarily accrue to rural households. As the end-product users are mostly from the higher economic groups, the money flows from high end groups to low end groups.

Cases of landless families engaged in cocoon production using mulberry contracted from local farmers are common in some states.

Women friendly Occupation Women constitute over 60 percent of those employed in down-stream activities of sericulture in the country. This is possible because sericulture activities starting from mulberry garden management, leaf harvesting and silkworm rearing is more effectively taken up by the women folk. Even silk reeling industry including weaving is largely supported by them.

Women constitute over 60 percent of those employed in down-stream activities of sericulture in the country.

This is possible because sericulture activities starting from mulberry garden management, leaf harvesting and silkworm rearing is more effectively taken up by the women folk.

Even silk reeling industry including weaving is largely supported by them.

Ideal Programme for Weaker Sections of the Society Sericulture can be practiced even with very low land holding. ¾ acre of mulberry garden and silkworm rearing can support a family of three without hiring labour. Features such as low gestation, high returns make sericulture an ideal programme for weaker sections of the society. Vast tracts of forest based tasar food plantations available in the country, if judiciously exploited for rearing tasar silkworms, can offer supplementary gainful employment for tribals.

Sericulture can be practiced even with very low land holding.

¾ acre of mulberry garden and silkworm rearing can support a family of three without hiring labour.

Features such as low gestation, high returns make sericulture an ideal programme for weaker sections of the society.

Vast tracts of forest based tasar food plantations available in the country, if judiciously exploited for rearing tasar silkworms, can offer supplementary gainful employment for tribals.

Low Gestation, High Returns Estimated investments of Rs.12,000 to 15,000 (excluding cost of land and rearing space) is sufficient for undertaking mulberry cultivation and silkworm rearing in one acre of irrigated land. Mulberry takes only six months to grow for commencement of silkworm rearing. Mulberry once planted will go on supporting silkworm rearing year after year for 15-20 years depending on inputs and management provided. Five crops can be taken in one year under tropical conditions. By adopting stipulated package of practices, a farmer can attain net income levels up to Rs.30000 per acre per annum .

Estimated investments of Rs.12,000 to 15,000 (excluding cost of land and rearing space) is sufficient for undertaking mulberry cultivation and silkworm rearing in one acre of irrigated land.

Mulberry takes only six months to grow for commencement of silkworm rearing.

Mulberry once planted will go on supporting silkworm rearing year after year for 15-20 years depending on inputs and management provided.

Five crops can be taken in one year under tropical conditions.

By adopting stipulated package of practices, a farmer can attain net income levels up to Rs.30000 per acre per annum .

WORLD RAW SILK PRODUCTION - 1999

Mulberry Silk The bulk of the commercial silk produced in the world comes from this variety and often silk generally refers to mulberry silk. Mulberry silk comes from the silkworm, Bombyx mori L. which solely feeds on the leaves of mulberry plant. These silkworms are completely domesticated and reared indoors. In India, the major mulberry silk producing states are Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Jammu & Kashmir which together accounts for 92 percent of country's total mulberry raw silk production.

The bulk of the commercial silk produced in the world comes from this variety and often silk generally refers to mulberry silk.

Mulberry silk comes from the silkworm, Bombyx mori L. which solely feeds on the leaves of mulberry plant.

These silkworms are completely domesticated and reared indoors.

In India, the major mulberry silk producing states are Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Jammu & Kashmir which together accounts for 92 percent of country's total mulberry raw silk production.

LIFE CYCLE OF SILK WORM: BOMBYX MORI L.

It is copperish colour, coarse silk mainly used for furnishings and interiors. It is less lustrous than mulberry silk, but has its own feel and appeal. Tasar silk is generated by the silkworm, Antheraea mylitta which mainly thrive on the food plants Asan and Arjun. The rearings are conducted in nature on the trees in the open. In India, tasar silk is mainly produced in the states of Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and Orissa, besides Maharashtra, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh. Tasar culture is the main stay for many a tribal community in India. Tasar Silk

It is copperish colour, coarse silk mainly used for furnishings and interiors. It is less lustrous than mulberry silk, but has its own feel and appeal.

Tasar silk is generated by the silkworm, Antheraea mylitta which mainly thrive on the food plants Asan and Arjun.

The rearings are conducted in nature on the trees in the open. In India, tasar silk is mainly produced in the states of Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and Orissa, besides Maharashtra, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh.

Tasar culture is the main stay for many a tribal community in India.

Muga silk is a wonderful gift of nature extracted from a species of insect not to be found any where in the world except in the North Eastern region of India. This golden yellow colour silk is prerogative of India and the pride of Assam state. It is obtained from semi-domesticated multivoltine silkworm, Antheraea assamensis . These silkworms feed on the aromatic leaves of Som and Soalu plants and are reared on trees similar to that of tasar. Muga culture is specific to the state of Assam and an integral part of the tradition and culture of that state. The muga silk, an high value product is used in products like sarees, mekhalas, chaddars, etc. Muga Silk

Muga silk is a wonderful gift of nature extracted from a species of insect not to be found any where in the world except in the North Eastern region of India.

This golden yellow colour silk is prerogative of India and the pride of Assam state.

It is obtained from semi-domesticated multivoltine silkworm, Antheraea assamensis .

These silkworms feed on the aromatic leaves of Som and Soalu plants and are reared on trees similar to that of tasar.

Muga culture is specific to the state of Assam and an integral part of the tradition and culture of that state.

The muga silk, an high value product is used in products like sarees, mekhalas, chaddars, etc.

Eri Silk The word eri is a derivative from Sanskrit nomenclature for castor plant, eranada. Castor leaf is the main food for the eri silkworms and so named as eri. This is the only completely domesticated non-mulberry variety. Its silk is spun as it can not be reeled. Also known as Endi or Errandi, Eri is a multivoltine silk spun from open-ended cocoons, unlike other varieties of silk. Eri silk is the product of the domesticated silkworm, Philosamia ricini that feeds mainly on castor leaves. Hatched larva are mounted on castor leafs in rearing house and allowed to grow. The worms pass four moults within a period of 30 to 32 days. Ericulture is a household activity practiced mainly for protein rich pupae, a delicacy for the tribal. Resultantly, the eri cocoons are open-mouthed and are spun. The silk is used indigenously for preparation of chaddars (wraps) for own use by these tribals. It is the only silk which is drawn without killing the pupa and hence qualifies as most eco-friendly among silk.

The word eri is a derivative from Sanskrit nomenclature for castor plant, eranada. Castor leaf is the main food for the eri silkworms and so named as eri.

This is the only completely domesticated non-mulberry variety. Its silk is spun as it can not be reeled.

Also known as Endi or Errandi, Eri is a multivoltine silk spun from open-ended cocoons, unlike other varieties of silk.

Eri silk is the product of the domesticated silkworm, Philosamia ricini that feeds mainly on castor leaves.

Hatched larva are mounted on castor leafs in rearing house and allowed to grow. The worms pass four moults within a period of 30 to 32 days.

Ericulture is a household activity practiced mainly for protein rich pupae, a delicacy for the tribal. Resultantly, the eri cocoons are open-mouthed and are spun.

The silk is used indigenously for preparation of chaddars (wraps) for own use by these tribals.

It is the only silk which is drawn without killing the pupa and hence qualifies as most eco-friendly among silk.