STATE TIMES NEWS
KATHUA: Dry cocoon auction market (spring crop) organised by Sericulture Development Department Kathua is underway at village Dangara (Billawar) upto 13th August 2016.
A large number of buyers from within and outside the State are participating in the said market. As on 3rd August 2016 nearly 1,575 silkworm rearers of Basholi, Bani and Billawar Tehsil have sold approx. 15,200 Kgs. of dry cocoon for an amount of Rs. 1.15 crore at an average rate of 757.00 per/kg. as against the last year general average of Rs. 564.00 per/Kg. The highest bid of Rs. 950 per/Kg of dry cocoon has been given to the cocoons crop sold by Janak Raj son of Chet Ram resident of Dharalta of Mulberry Circle Dangara who has earned an amount of Rs. 25,032.50 by selling 26.350 Kg dry cocoon in the said market.
It is for the first time that the payment to the sericulture farmer an account of cost of cocoon sold them in the market is being directly credited into their accounts electronically thereby saving the precious time of the silkworm rearing community as they are free by afternoon after conducting the auctioning and weighment of their cocoon crop brought in the market. The silkworm rearers are quite happy and satisfied with this new system of payment. This was disclosed by Ashwani Kumar Sharma, Project Officer, Sericulture Development Department, Kathua.