Date:02/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/02/stories/2009010254550500.htm

Tamil Nadu

Bivoltine sericulture to get a boost in Tirupur

Staff Reporter

Tirupur: To help textile manufacturers meet the increasing demand for clothes made of finer silk, the Department of Sericulture will promote bivoltine sericulture within the recently notified areas of Tirupur district at a cost of Rs. 32.5 lakh during this financial year.

The scheme aims at increasing the area coverage under mulberry cultivation by another 125 acres before March 31 and the yield of bivoltine cocoon by an additional 2 kg from every bunch of 100 silkworm eggs or dfls (disease free layings).

At present, 405.05 acres are under mulberry cultivation (all for bivoltine silk) in Udumalpet block. Commissioner of Sericulture Harmander Singh told ‘The Hindu’ that under the cluster promotion project, subsidy assistance would be extended to the farmers to establish a total of 25 rearing sheds to the tune of 50 per cent of the unit cost of Rs. 1 lakh and drip irrigation systems to cover 50 acres of mulberry cultivation.