Jammu, March 7: In a significant push to revive J&K’s historic sericulture industry, the government Friday announced a series of transformative measures aimed at restoring the UT’s silk production to its former glory.
The initiative comes in response to a query raised by MLA Mubarak Gul in the Legislative Assembly, highlighting the sector’s challenges and the need for urgent intervention. “J&K has long been renowned for its high-quality silk, but recent years have seen a decline due to outdated practices and market constraints. To counter this, the government is introducing advanced technology, strengthening support for silkworm rearers, and ensuring the availability of superior silkworm seeds and planting materials,” the reply reads. “Currently, around 27,000 families, including Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and landless farmers, depend on sericulture as a supplementary source of income.”
The government further stated that the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for dry commercial cocoons has been raised from Rs 510 to Rs 800 per kg, while seed cocoon rates have surged from Rs 400 to Rs 1,300 per kg to encourage greater participation in silkworm rearing.
“Financial aid for constructing rearing houses has been increased from Rs 1.25 lakh to Rs 1.75 lakh per farmer, alongside improved rearing equipment worth Rs 40,000 per farmer” the government said, adding that new Chawki Rearing Centres (CRCs) are being set up to ensure the distribution of disease-free silkworms, improving productivity and quality.
“The Cocoon Bank Revolving Fund has been expanded from Rs 70 lakh to Rs 3.5 crore to support local reeling units and stabilise the market,” the government said. “Extensive plantation efforts are underway to sustain cocoon production and enhance overall yield.”
The government said that in collaboration with the Central Silk Board (CSB) Pampore, trials are being conducted to shift from mono-cropping to diversified cropping systems, improving sustainability and productivity. “Special training initiatives are being launched to equip farmers with modern rearing techniques and expand sericulture into new areas,” the government said.
