Getting boost

Ranchi, June 15: After topping the chart in tussar silk production in the country with a figure of 150MT of yarn, Jharkhand is now gearing up to witness commercial production of mulberry silk hitherto grown in south Indian states.

The state industries department has zeroed in on four districts — Gumla, Lohardaga, Netarhat area in Palamau and Maheshpur block in Pakur — for the purpose. It has formed 18 groups consisting of 11 farmers each in those places. They have started the process of planting mulberry host plants in the field.

“There is immense potential in production of mulberry silk in the state. Rearing mulberry silkworms and production thereof will be a highly profitable business because as many as five harvests are possible in indoor conditions. Besides these 18 groups, we are in the process of making 30 more new groups,” said Dhirendra Kumar, the special secretary in the state industries department, who doubles up as director (handloom and silk).

Interestingly, production of mulberry silk is an indoor activity while the tussar silk is grown in wild conditions. The leaves of mulberry plant are kept in special enclosures, where the silkworm concerned, Bombyx mori, solely feeds on the leaves of mulberry plant.

In India, mulberry silk is produced mainly in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Jammu & Kashmir and Bengal, while the non-mulberry silks are produced in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and north-eastern states.

Kumar said the farmers would plant the saplings of mulberry silk host plant by July this year. “The plants will grow by February next year. Meanwhile, the villagers will be trained in indoor silkworm rearing and in yarn-making. Their products will be provided ready available marketing coverage with different weavers’ groups,” he said.

Jharcraft, a unit under state industries department, is meanwhile, in the final stage of getting an organic certification from an international certification institution.