IMPHAL, April 24: New funding under the North East Textile Promotion Scheme, NERTPS has given new hopes to sericulture farmers in the State, said a farmer from Imphal East district at the venue of the ongoing four-day long Cocoon Buyers`™ and Sellers`™ Meet.
The meet is being held at the Sericulture Project Management Complex Sangaipat Imphal East.
Speaking to media persons, cocoon farmer Tidimus from Soraland Yairipok said cocoon farming has been practiced in his village since a long time back. In the past, the farmers were not satisfied with the funding and many had even left the practice, he said.
However, during the last couple of years the centrally sponsored scheme has been revived, he said.
With proper guidance from the officials, he said he is able to start and produce atleast 40 kg more than his previous yield.
Financial assistance under the scheme has encouraged farmers to work harder and if such a trend continues production will certainly increase in the coming years, the farmer said.
Another farmer from Uyumpok Village, Y Devananda said that before there were many cocoon rearers however, production was very less and this was because the farmers think only of money.
He said a family can easily survive by rearing cocoons.
The farmer continued that he was unable to construct a proper molting house for rearing cocoon.
Now that the farmers have received 70 percent of the financial assistance meant under the scheme, he has constructed one which is still not big enough, he said.
Production can increase if he is able to expand his molting house, he continued.
Sericulture department, assistant director Technical head quarter said the department officials have the records of all the cocoons brought in by the farmers of every district.
As per the record available, approximately 5000 kgs of cocoon have been brought at the meet till date, he said.
He continued that the sericulture officials monitor the cocoon products brought to the meet before they are sold off. The finest cocoon has a 25 percent silk percentage and the rates of the cocoon are fixed by the department according to the silk percentage, he added.
Cocoon with more than 18 percent silk are sold at Rs 400/ kg while those with less than 18 percent silk are sold at Rs 300/ kg, he added.