Dr. Banarsi Lal
Rearing of silkworms on mulberry trees for the production of raw silk is known as sericulture. Sericulture involves the rearing of silkworm, collection of cocoons and their delivery for reeling purpose, reeling of raw silk from the cocoons and availability of mulberry trees from which fresh leaves can be obtained. J&K is one of the leading silk producing territories in the country. In Union Territory of J& K there are around 2,800 villages where the sericulture is considered as an important activity for the farmers. In J&K there are over 7 lakh mulberry trees out of which 53 per cent are available in Jammu region and 47 per cent in Kashmir region. Approximately 6,680 quintals of raw silk of Rs.50 crores worth is produced annually. J&K is the only Union Territory in the country which is at the same altitude in which leading biovoltine sericulture countries of the world lie. Union Territory J&K is blessed with the conducive atmosphere to produce the biovoltine silk. Sericulture is the traditional cottage industry in J&K producing high quality biovoltine silk comparable to the international standard. Sericulture can help to improve the economic condition of the rural people and also generates employment opportunities for them.
India is the 2nd largest producer of silk in the world after China. It is also the largest consumer of silk in the world. India is the only country in the world that produces all 5 varieties of silk on commercial scale and holds the global monopoly for production of the famed golden ‘Muga’ silk. Almost all the Indian States, except Gujarat and Rajasthan are involved in the production of one or the other variety of silk. Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Jammu & Kashmir are the major mulberry silk producing States/UT in India which together account for 96 per cent of country’s total mulberry raw silk production. A wide scope exists across the nation for the horizontal and vertical expansion of this sector. Silk is a wonder fibre which has emerged stronger amongst the various textile fibres, competed with synthetic fibres to retain its unique position. Despite, a miniscule 0.2 per cent of the textile production worldwide, silk continues to dominate from the socio-economic viewpoint.
The J&K Government has taken various innovative initiatives to boost the age old traditional sericulture industry for the rural development. Cocoons made in J&K are very famous due to the purity and people from across the world prefer to purchase silk produced from J&K. This sector is assisting to boost the economy. The J&K government is making some strenuous efforts to revive this industry for the benefit of the rural people. There is dire need to promote the silk produced from J&K. The government has launched some small schemes including free plant material and distributing of free silk rearing kits that growers are using during rearing process of cocoons.
In J&K this industry has been considered as the old industry and the scientific technologies are assisting the farmers to produce the high quality silk. Sericulture authorities organized cocoon auction markets across J&K where the growers sell their cocoons. In Union Territory of J&K, sericulture is an ideal enterprise for the rural development especially for the weaker sections of the society. Sericulture is an eco-friendly vocation and has high potential for poverty eradication. It has proved an ideal tool for women and tribal farmers of J&K.
Mulberry silk is the product of silkworm, Bombyxmori L. which feeds on the leaves of mulberry plant. These silkworms are completely domesticated and reared indoors. The mulberry silkworms are classified as Japanese, Chinese, European or Indian origin based on their geographical distribution or as univoltine, bivoltine and multivoltine depending on the number generations in a year under natural conditions. Univoltine silkworms have long life cycle and their larvae and cocoons are large. The life cycle of bivoltine silkworms is shorter than univoltines.
The bivoltine silkworms are stronger than the univoltine silkworms. Multivoltine silkworms with tropical origin are robust as compared to univoltine and bivoltine silkworms but produce qualitatively inferior raw silk. Sericulture is predominantly done in the rural areas and even small farmers can do it. Sericulture involves the cultivation of silkworm food plants, rearing of silkworms for the production of cocoons, reeling the cocoons for unwinding the silk filament and other post-cocoon processes such as twisting, dyeing, weaving, printing and finishing. Commercially traded varieties of natural silks are Mulberry, Tropical Tasar, Oak Tasar, Eri and Muga.
Silks other than mulberry are all grouped together and called as Vanya Silks. Tasar silk is mainly produced in the States of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odissa, besides Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. Tasar culture is the main stay for many tribal communities in India. Oak tasar is produced in the Sub-Himalayan belt of India covering the States such as Manipur, Nagaland and Uttaranchal. Eri culture is mostly practiced in the North-eastern States and Assam is its largest producer. It has been popularized in the states such as Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Odisa, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Muga culture is specific to the State of Assam but the Muga culture is also getting popularized in other States such as West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Nagaland. In 1949-50 raw silk production in India was 1211 MT which has grown substantially over the years. In the post-independence era the mulberry silk production has improved due to the rigorous efforts of Government of India through Five Year Plans.
Mulberry silk production involves a series of activities and the success of mulberry cocoon crop depends on the productivity levels of breed, quality of the mulberry leaves, supply of disease free laying, adoption of scientific rearing technologies and climatic conditions. Rearing of silkworms which is done domestically under controlled conditions is an important component of sericulture and throughout the rearing period, silkworms have to be taken care of properly and nourished with good quality mulberry leaves. Silkworm larvae pass through five instars (stages) beginning from hatching of the larvae from eggs to their maturation and change their skin called as moulting for four times. Silkworms are very delicate and susceptible to a various diseases. They need to be reared scientifically under the close supervision of the experienced technicians. Every year, 5-6 cocoon crops can be taken in the irrigated conditions as the mulberry leaves will be available throughout the year. Sericulture is considered as an effective tool for poverty eradication in the rural areas. This enterprise provides employment opportunities to all the family members of the farmers. This sector has the unique feature of converting family labour into useful income for the family of the farmers. This vocation can bring significant revenue to the households, thereby helping several poverty stricken families in the rural areas, especially the marginalized section of the population. Sericulture is one of the most potential agricultural vocations with low capital investment and high returns. Silk is produced by the farmers belonging to economically weaker section and is purchased by the rich people. It is an excellent tool for transfer of wealth from affluent section of the society to the poor.
(The writer is Sr. Scientist and Head of KVK, Reasi SKUAST-J).