SERICULTURE IN PUNJAB
Sericulture started in joint Punjab long back in the year 1895. Sericulture was confined only to the sub-montane region of the state. After the restructuring of the states major portion of the sericulture went to the share of Himachal Pradesh. In the restructured PunjabSericulture was left in Gurdaspur District, Dhar Block of Pathankot District and in some pockets of Mukerian block in district Hoshiarpur and NurpurBedi in the district Ropar. 80% of the cocoon is produced in Dhar block in district Pathankot and presently about 1000 families are in the fold of sericulture producing 3 to 4 MTs raw silk and about 30,000 kgsof cocoon per year valuing about Rs. 60 lacs
Sericulture wing was transferred from the Industry Department to Horticulture Department in the year 1994. Sericulture is an agro based part time family occupation mainly of the below poverty line rural poor mostly belonging to the scheduled caste and backward classes. Sericulture is highly labour oriented employing about 5 to 6 people per acre per annum. It involves the raising of food plants for silkworm, rearing of silkworm for production of cocoon reeling and spinning for production of silk yarn. Sericulture also includes the practical aspects such as increasing productivity of land as well as labour, stabilization of cocoon production, improvement of silk yarn, fabrics and generating income for rural, poor, SC and OBC people. Silk is an animal protein fibresecreted produced by silkworm spinning of the cocoon. This cocoon provides shell (shelter) for the soft and delicate caterpillar to pass the pupa stage inside it and metamorphose into a maggot (moth). Silk yarn is obtained from the silk cocoons. The state has a varied climate with May & June the hottest months when temperature risesupto 47 degree C & December & January are the coldest months recording temperature as low as 0C. Therefore, months of March-April and September-October are considered best suited for mulberry silk worm rearing.
When the cocoon is ready with the farmers the department arranges cocoon mandi’s in the nearby Govt. Sericulture farms for the convenience of the rearers. Therearers bring their produce which is sold through open auction.
Keeping in view the agro-climatic conditions of the state one crop is taken in the spring season (March-April) when the leaf quality is good after a brief dormant period and this crop is the main crop. The Second crop of Autumn season (September-October)is taken on very small scale and the temperature is also congenial for silkworm rearing.Rearing of silkworm is short time cash crop and in just 4 to 5 weeks time a family can raise an additional income of about Rs.10,000/- to 12,000/- in a single crop.Just rearing one ounce of silk Seed the rearer can take two crops in a year.Only bivoltine cocoon is commercially explored in Punjab and quality silk can be produced. The period of silkworm rearing does not coincide with the harvesting period of other crops like wheat, paddy and maize. Thus by rearing silkworms twice in a year a family can earn approx. around Rs.20,000/- per year. The popular silkworm races are NB4 D2 x SH6 and its reciprocal.
Status of Sericulture in Punjab:
ParticularsNo. of districts / 22
Sericulture practiced in / 4
Government Sericulture Farms / 15
Chawki Rearing Centres / 14
Area under Mulberry at Govt. Farms / 115 acres
Dfl intake/ annum / 0.95 lakhs
Cocoon production/ annum / Approx. 25 MTs
Area under Mulberry in Private Sector / 800 acres
Sericulture villages / 268
Sericulture families / 1003
Reeling Unit / 6 CottageBasin (at Pathankot)
Silk Seed Production centre(Grainage) / 1 at Dalhousie (H.P)
Research Extension Centre
(Central Silk Board) / 1 at Sujanpur (Pathankot).
Punjab has the following schemes in Sericulture:-
- Catalytic Development Programme (CDP)
- Development of sericulture in the State Special Component Plan and Special Central Assistance of Point II (A) of the 20-Point Programme
- Catalytic Development Programme (CDP):-
Catalytic Development Programme (CDP) is the flagship scheme of Sericulture being implementedduring IX and X Plan period by the Ministry of Textiles through Central Silk Board in collaboration with the State of Punjab.
The Catalytic Development Programme (CDP) consists of various components and sub-components under Mulberry and Eri sectors in the State of Punjab. The programme is continued as a “Centrally Sponsored Scheme” with certain modifications but in a package mode during XI Plan. The components are beneficial for both existing and new farmers for practising sericulture. The State Department of sericulture identifies existing as well as new farmers and offers the components according to their requirements. The packages under CDP covers three major areas Seed sector, Cocoon sector and Post-cocoon sector and is supplemented by other components of Support Services, which are common to all packages. Within each package flexibility has been built in to cater to the specific need of different seri-zones in the State.
Horticulture-02/07 Catalytic Development Programme (CDP)
Centre: State: Beneficiary(38:26:36) covering three components:-
- Mulberry Sector (Package for cocoon sector)
- Non Mulberry Sector (Package for Eri cocoon Sector)
- Support Service Sector
- Mulberry Sector (Package for cocoon sector:
It has following sub components:-
(i)Support for mulberry plantation Development (Raising and maintainence of existing plantation/replacement of old plantation) (50:25:25) CSB:State:Beneficiary. Under this unit cost is Rs. 3500/- and one unit has 300 Mulberry plants, which are given to the Sericulturists.
(ii)Support for mulberry plantation Development (50:50) CSB:State. . Under this unit cost is Rs. 2000/- and one unit has 300 Mulberry saplings, which are given to the Sericulturists.
(iii)Assistance to farmers for construction of rearing houses (RH) Model of Rs.50,000/-(25:25:50)CSB:State:Benef.Under this unit cost is Rs. 50,000/- for one rearing house. Beneficiary will contribute his share of 50% of the unit costi.e Rs. 25,000/- for the rearing house. Both Central silk board and State will provide 25% contribution individually i.e Rs. 12,500/- each for the construction of rearing house.
- Non Mulberry Sector (Eri Sector):
It has following sub components:-
(i)Support for Castor/Tapioca cultivators with Start-up tools (60:20:20)CSB:State:Benef. Under this unit cost is Rs. 1050/-. Castor seed & Tools will be provided to the Ericulturists.
(ii)Construction of Rearing House(60:20:20)CSB:State:Benef. Under this unit cost is Rs. 50,000/- per rearing house . Beneficiary will contribute his share of 20% of the unit cost i.e Rs. 10,000/- for the rearing house. Central silk board will provide 60% i.e. Rs. 30,000/- and State will provide 20% of the unit cost i.e Rs. 10,000/- for the rearing house.
- Support Service Sector:
It has following sub components:-
(i)Beneficiary Empowerment Programme conducted by State and Sericulture related exposure visits. (100% CSB). Under this unit cost is Rs. 5000/- per farmer.
(ii)Publicity for the sector (Audio Visuals/exhibition/BSMs/Awareness programme, Workshop/Seminars etc (100% CSB).Under this unit cost is Rs. 1.50 lakh per Workshop.
(iii)ReshamSathi 100% CSB.Under this unit cost is Rs. 5000/- per month for one ReshamSathi.
Beneficiary Selection:
All the farmers/Rearers of silkworms of the Districts i.e. Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Hoshiarpur and Roopnagar.
Limitation cap :
One unit/Beneficiary
- Development of sericulture in the State Special Component Plan and Special Central Assistance of Point II (A) of the 20-Point Programme:
It is a centrally sponsored plan scheme of special central assistance of point no.II (A) of 20 point programme under poverty alleviation programme. The scheme is in operation since 1-4-1997. There is a provision for giving a subsidy of 75% of total cost of rearing house estimated as Rs. 50,000/- i.e. @ Rs. 37,500/- per beneficiary for the construction of rearing hut to encourage the development of Sericulture amongst schedule caste families below the poverty line in the districts of Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Hoshiarpur and Roopnagar.
The size of rearing house will be 15’X12’ with carpet area of 180 sq. feet having 3 windows (3’X4’) one each on two sides and one on backside and one door (6’X3’). The height of the inner wall is 10’ with thickness 9’’. The rearing house will be constructed with pucca bricks. The walls will be plastered with cement inside and outside. It will have 5’wide verandah in front side. The roof will be of pucca concrete lentil and pucca cemented floor. The rearing capacity of the rearing house will be 100 Dfls, at a time in which 6 rearing stands having 120 trays (2’x3’) can be conveniently accommodated.
Beneficiary Selection:
All the scheduled caste families/Rearers of Silkworms, who are below the poverty line,in the districts of Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Hoshiarpur and Roopnagar.
Limitation cap :
One unit/Beneficiary
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