Bivoltine silk prod highest in TN: Commissioner

Tiruchirapalli, May 23: Tamil Nadu ranks first among other states in the production of 'Bivoltine Silk,' a superior quality silk, according to State Department of Sericulture Commissioner Harmandar Singh.

Disclosing this to newspersons here last night, he said of the total bivoltine silk production in the country, Tamil Nadu accounted for 26 per cent. The sericulture department was taking effective steps to enhance the production to at least 50 per cent by next year.

With the state government keen on promoting cluster approach for mulberry cultivation, it has identified 43 places in 18 districts across the state for promoting mulberry clusters this year, he said adding the sericulture department would provide latest technical support to the cultivators and the preliminary works in this regard have already begun.

The area under mulberry cultivation would be increased to 35,000 acres next year from the present 25,000 acres in the state.

Similarly, efforts were on to increase the cocoon production to 9,000 tonnes, this year, against last year production of 7,900 tonnes. The raw silk production would touch 1,120 tonnes this year, compared to the previous year production of 730 tonnes, he informed.

As the state government was committed to increase the total silk production, he said, the sericulture department, as part of the exercise, was taking all initiatives to revive sick reeling units, expand the existing reeling units and to set up new units. As reeling units were less in Tamil Nadu and farmers forced to depend on units in neighbouring Karnataka, the government has given its nod to set up 53 cottage reeling units, each with an investment of Rs 2.05 lakh in 2006-07. The state government and the Central Silk Board had given a subsidy of Rs 1.2 lakh to each unit, he added.

About 20 cottage reeling units, 14 multi-end units and an automatic reeling unit would be promoted this year. The automatic reeling unit would be established at Gopichettipalayam, he said.

UNI