The silk route for Vidarbhian farmers

By Mandar Moroney

State Silk Park in Amravati, the first of its type in the country, is heading towards a thorough guidance place for farmers as well as tourists and educational spot for students. The silk directorate and silk park in city are empowering farmers to earn their alternative income using silk route. The Silk department was a part of Khadi Gramodyog board earlier. In 1997, with the view of developing silk industry in the state, a separate Silk directorate was set up which has its headquarter at Nagpur. Under this directorate, a silk park has been formed in the city which was inaugurated last year. The silk park has now become the asset for the city as well as farmers esepcially in Vidarbha. The park has 18 acres of land and out of that, highly productive Mulberry variety has been planted on eight acres. There is also a silkworm rearing house, cocoons and silk thread formation centers at this park. Here, directorate has developed all these things to give demonstrations to farmers who are willing to do this business. Eggs are developed here at the park using Mulberry leaves, scientifically, after which silkworm starts weaving the Cocoons around itself. After a period of 20 to 25 days, these fully woven cocoons are taken out from trays and then are dried into the drying machine where all worms are killed. Then separating these died worms, cocoons are heated and converted into silk thread using machine. The entire procedure can be seen at the Silk park as all machineries and equipments are available here to do the same. Recently, the silk directorate has started arranging trainings of farmers at this park to give the detail technical knowledge about this supplementary business. " We take 30 people in one batch lasting for seven days. We give them knowledge of every little thing necessary for beneficial silk farming and increasing the productivity. Along with theoratical knowledge, they get the chance to see actual work at the park and to understand its method. In addition to that, we arrange their tours at the places of farmers who are doing silk farming, successfully," informed P. N. Chalpelliwar, Assistant Director of Regional Silk Office, Amravati. According to Chalpelliwar, Mulberry farming is more beneficial than cotton or soyabean farming. If farmers have some acres of land, irrigation facility and adequate indoor area, then this side business is of good profit as there is no threat of whims of nature in it. Even if land is not available, farmers can take silkworm eggs from department and can bring back cocoons to it. Silk department provides eggs, variety of Mulberry, gives training of doing this work, various things necessary for it and also buys back the cacoons from farmers. As there are no middlemen in it and government is giving assurance of buying cocoons, there are no chances of cheating of farmers, says Chalpelliwar. Presently, Government is giving price of Rs. 15,000 per quintal of cacoons to farmers, he claimed. Till now, 150 beneficiaries have taken benefit of silk park and are doing this business. The department is aiming at developing the park and has planned to construct farm lake, nursery and to avail demonstrations of 'silk to milk' supplementary business. Schools now also have started bringing educational trips of students here and the frequency will increase after complete development. Chalpelliwar appealed farmers as well as other people to take benefit of this novel park in Vidarbha.