The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Sericulture department surpasses its targets

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 04, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Sericulture department surpasses its targets

Special Correspondent

Achieves 7,300 tonnes in cocoon production, 1,124.48 tonnes, in raw silk production

CHENNAI: The Sericulture Department has surpassed targets for 2006-07 in mulberry plantation, cocoon production, raw silk production and employment generation, Khadi Minister K. Ramachandran informed the Assembly on Wednesday.

The department targeted a modest 3,100 acres for mulberry plantation. But, the overwhelming response of farmers ensured that the total planted area was 10,389 acres, three times the target.

In cocoon production, the target was 5,700 tonnes, and the department achieved 7,930 tonnes.

Reeling units' shortage

About 60 per cent of the cocoons produced in Tamil Nadu were sent to Karnataka for sale owing to non-availability of adequate silk reeling units in the State.

To strengthen the silk reeling sector, the department plans to revive closed units in Government, cooperative and private sectors, expand existing units and establish new ones at different levels — cottage basin, multi-end reeling and automatic reeling.

Raw silk production too saw the department overhaul the target of 800 tonnes by a handsome margin: it produced 1,124.48 tonnes. All these ensured that employment generation took a leap. As against the target of providing employment for 15,500 persons, the department generated jobs for 51,945 persons. This apart, the Government ensured that most of the cocoons produced were sold through the government cocoon markets.

In 2006-07, 3203.8 tonnes of cocoons was transacted through these markets.

In 2005-06, only 2,315 tonnes was sold.

Levy collection

"The Department of Sericulture collected Rs.53.1 lakh in 2006-07 as levy at the rate of 0.75 per cent of the cost of transaction from the seller and buyer," Mr. Ramachandran said.

The department would soon set up two mobile cocoon markets, at Udumalpet and Palani.

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