Punjab to boost sericulture in State

10 Sep '15

2 min read

Punjab's Horticulture Department has proposed a new plan for Catalytic Development Programme during the current financial year to sustain the development of sericulture in the State, according to a Punjab Government press release.

”The Central Silk Board has discontinued the Catalytic Development Programme being implemented in Punjab with effect from the financial year 2015-16.. Now the Department of Horticulture, Punjab has proposed a new scheme… ,” Director of Horticulture department Gurkanwal Singh said.

Singh said that the state produces Bivoltine silk, with bivoltine silkworms producing better cocoons with high silk content and improved quality.” The agro climatic condition of some pockets of the state is very congenial and conducive for cultivation of mulberry silk. The component-wise funding of the proposed scheme would be met from the State and beneficiary share in different ratios ranging from 75:25 to 70:30 subject to final clearance of the scheme by the State Finance Department,” he said

Singh said that marginal and landless farmers can adopt silk farming and get good returns as mulberry leaves is all that they need to feed silk worms. He further said that the main objective of the scheme is to bring horizontal and vertical growth in cocoon production, promote bivoltine sericulture and sericulture in the state and to harness the available natural resources — waste/degraded land for development of viable and sustainable sericulture. (SH)

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