Sericulture is the cultivation of silk through silkworm rearing. There are two main types of cocoon markets - seed cocoon markets and commercial cocoon markets. Seed cocoon markets take place in grainages where hybrid seeds are produced. Highly trained rearers produce pure breed cocoons called P1 cocoons. These are transported to grainages and the rearers are paid Rs. 100/kg. Commercial cocoon markets include green cocoon markets and dry cocoon markets. In green cocoon markets, some rearers sell their cocoons immediately after rearing to reelers who pay on the spot. In dry cocoon markets, rearers dry cocoons for 2-3 months then sell them at district

1. TOPIC
Cocoon marketing

2. SERICULTURE
Sericulture is the cultivation of silk through
rearing of silkworm. It is an agro-based industry. It
involves the raising of food plants for silkworm,
rearing of silkworm for production of cocoons,
reeling and spinning of cocoon for production of
yarn etc.

3. COCOON MARKETING
 The harvested cocoons have to be marketed as
early as possible before the moths emerge from
them.
 This is a vsery crucial step and needs efficient
management. Information about the nearby cocoon
markets, the marketing day and the mode of
transport of the cocoons to that place have to be
obtained and planning has to be done.
 A knowledge of the marketing operations is
essential to fetch a fair price for the cocoons.

4. MARKETING IN
SERICULTURE
In sericulture we are usually having two
types of cocoon markets:-
1. Seed cocoon market.
2. Commercial cocoon market:-
 Dry cocoon market
 Green cocoon market

5. Seed cocoon market
 It takes place usually in commercial grainages where hybrid
seeds are produced.
 The department of sericulture has identified certain areas
which are called P1 or seed cocoon producing areas. The
silkworm rearers present in such areas are also called as P1
rearers. These rearers are highly trained in rearing pure breeds
of silkworms and they produce cocoon which are also called
as P1 cocoons. No hybrid rearings are allowed in such P1
areas.
 The seed for P1 rearing in these areas is sent/produced in
different P2 stations are called basic seed stations. Usually in
the first week of june when this P1 rearing finishes and seed
cocoons or P1 cocoons are ready for transportation to various
grainages where hybrid seed is to be produced.

6. Continued….
 A small calender for these limited no.of seed areas
is drawn by the department and on each date a
known quantity of cocoon is transported from
these areas to the nearest grainages. The
government of J&K has fixed a price of Rs.100/kg
of seed cocoon as against Rs.70/kg for commercial
cocoons.
 These cocoons are weighed and stored in different
trays in the grainages and the payment due to these
farmers for their produce is made on the spot.

7. COMMERCIAL COCOON MARKET
GREEN COCOON MARKET
 In J&K, the green cocoon market for commercial
cocoons takes place for a limited quantity. Just
after finishing the commercial rearing this type of
market takes place in certain rearing areas where
green cocoons are purchased by certain reelers.
The reelers or buyers who desire to buy green
commercial cocoon inform the department of
sericulture prior to the culmination of spring
rearing.

8.  They also inform about the quantity and nature of
hybrid for which they are interested to purchase as
green commercial cocoon, accordingly the
department organises a meet between the buyers
and the producers i.e. rearers for sale/purchase of
these green cocoons. Usually some of the farmers
prefer to sell their produce or cocoons in green
cocoon market rather than to wait 2-3 months for
dry cocoon market. The buyers make on the spot
payment to the rearers on the basis of on spot
negotiation of price.

9. Dry cocoon market
 Dry cocoon market usually takes place in the month of august/September
in the valley and in the month of june/July in the Jammu province. After
finishing the commercial rearing the rearers dry these cocoons under
various methods like sun drying, black cloth sun drying and in hot air
dryers so that the pupa inside it gets killed and the moisture is also
removed so that no fungal attack could take place in these cocoons. After
drying these cocoons, the rearers store them in loose gunny bags for a
period of more than 2-3 months, preferably keep hanging with a roof on
the ceiling so that the rodents or rats may not drainage them. At the start of
dry cocoon market a calender is issued by the department of sericulture
which is called “cocoon marketing calender”. It contains various details
like the name of the district/market where auction will be done and the
approximate quantity of cocoons to be auctioned in each cocoon market
and officers Incharge of the cocoon market along with their phone
numbers.

10.  These markets are established at each district headquarter
for few days. Accordingly the commercial cocoon rearers
are informed about the marketing calender so that they
bring their cocoons to the market on a particular date.
various facilities like weighing, grading purpose. Usually
the grading takes place on the basis of shell weight and
shell ratio percentage but usually the main method of
grading is no.of cocoons/kg. if a lot has 1800-2100
cocoons/kg it is designated as A-grade lot and more the
no. of cocoons i.e. up to 2400 it is graded as B and
similarly more than 2400 it is designated as C-grade
cocoon. Sometimes the reelers asses the lots by using the
calculated renditta technique.

11.  The govt. has fixed as floor price of Rs. 210/kg of dry
cocoon but recently it has been revised upto Rs.
500/kg. The auction/bidding of these lots takes place
on the spot and various buyers participate in the
auction. The highest bidder purchase the lot and makes
the payment to the authorities, the authorities in turn
make payment to the concerned rearer for the no. of
kgs of cocoon sold. Various facilities are given to the
rearers in the market like drinking water, shelter for
night, utensils for cooking etc. ,incase they are not able
to sell their produce on the same day. The rearers who
are not willing to sell their produce on the rate which
they get in the auction, they are given a chance once
again for the next auction.

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