Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 20:
Even though silk worm farmers in 11 designated villages in Imphal East are ready to start producing the raw material for the Sericulture Project, the rearers are facing a daunting task in rearing the silkworms as the Government has not been able to provide the necessary rearing house to the farmers.
A total of 480 acres of land has been used for plating mulberry trees in the 11 designated villages in Imphal East district, and as many as 142 sericulture farms have been opened to help the farmers produce the raw material for the Sericulture Project.
During a survey of the area at Andro side today, a number of farmers told this correspondent that they are ready to produce the raw material for the Sericulture Project, but till date the Govt has not taken up any steps to build the necessary rearing house for the silk worms, they said adding that this has inconvenienced them no end.
The economic potential of rearing the silk worms is immense with 50 mature silk worms able to generate raw material worth Rs 6/7 thousand in just 17 days, said the farmers.
The produce of the silk worms can be harvested thrice a year and on average farmer can earn about Rs 20 thousand per year through this vocation.
At Chawkie Rearing Centre, set up under the Sericulture Project at Andro, the Superintendent of Sericulture Project Th Dimvajit said that under funding from the Japanese Govt, 142 sericulture farms in Imphal East have each been given Rs 75,830 in the first instalment to plant mulberry trees, put up fences as well as to help maintain the farms.
The Sericulture Department has also been able to provide quality mulberry saplings to the farmers under the Japanese project, added the Superintendent.
As the Govt has not been able to provide the rearing house, over 5000 high breeding silk worms are presently being reared with the help of an incubator called CSR2 X CSR4 at the residence of one S Chaoba at Andro Kharam Leikai.
The silk worms are being reared under controlled temperature and humidity in the incubator.
Dimvajit informed that the silk worms are kept at a temporary rearing centre for 9 days after hatching and after this they are then distributed to the sericulture farms.
After 17 days, the silk worms start producing the raw material.