Description

ABSTRACT

With an objective to enhance the gradable Bivoltine raw silk production the Cluster Promotion Programme (CPP) was implemented under XI & XII five year plans during 2014-2019 in India. Out of 106 clusters planned to implement CPP in Southern India for the development of Bivoltine sericulture in Telangana state, 4 clusters were identified such as Y. Bhuvanagiri and Suryapet under Nalgonda district; Metpalli under Karimnagar whereas Zaheerabad under Medak district, respectively for the development of Bivoltine sericulture. During the five years period under XI & XII five year plans the impact of CPP was noticed in the Telangana State (TS) as 42.44 lakh DFLs were distributed as against the target of 39.65 lakh with 106.58% improvement. Among 4 clusters of TS 38.92 lakh DFLs were harvested among 13,711 farmers with 2,655.1MT cocoon production generating 379.3MT raw silk inviting an average market value of Rs. 345.13 per kg cocoon. Further, during the CPP period the sericulture framing community was inspired among 4 clusters to undertake 1,874.9 acres of new mulberry plantation with V1 variety under improved spacing among 1,191 farmers contributing to the horizontal expansion of the sericulture in the state. All the above depicted achievements happened because of intensive organization of 306 extension and communication programmes (ECPs) of various kind and sensitizing more than 13,854 farmers on improved technologies and fine tuning their technical knowhow. The above findings witness that CPP implementation in Telangana State not only proved to be a successful venture but also generating confidence among the farming community as sericulture farming is assured, secured and remunerative farming practice compared to any other farming. Further, adoption of sericulture in the state not only contributed significantly in generating gradable Bivoltine raw silk but also opened avenues in improving the socio economic conditions of the sericulture farming fraternity.

Keywords: Bivoltine cocoon, CPP, DFLs, Sericulture, Silkworm rearing