(a) the area under mulberry cultivation in the country;
(b) whether mulberry cultivation is expanding in more States and if so, the details thereof;
(c) the expected area under mulberry cultivation in 2021-22;
(d) the present production and expected production of silk through mulberry in 2021-22;
(e) the manner in which the Government is promoting this crop at present; and
(f) the future action plan of the Government to promote sericulture?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR TEXTILES
(SHRI AJAY TAMTA)
(a) & (b): Present area under mulberry cultivation in the country (as on Jan-2017) is 2,23,080 Ha.. The mulberry cultivation in the country has enhanced from 20,8,950 Ha during 2015-16 to 2,23,080 Ha during 2016-17 (up to January, 2017). State-wise mulberry area during 2016-17 (up to January, 2017) in comparison with the year 2015-16 is given in Annexure-I.
(c): The estimated/targeted area under mulberry cultivation in the country by 2021-22 is about 2,56,600 Ha.
(d): The actual mulberry raw silk production during 2015-16 and the present mulberry raw silk production during the current year 2016-17 (up to January,2017) and the estimated/targeted mulberry raw silk production by 2021-22 are given below:-
Year Mulberry silk production in MTs
2015-16 (Actual) 20,480
2016-17 (Apr-Jan)* 17,165
2021-22 (Target) 31,500
* provisional
(e): Government of India through Central Silk Board (CSB) has taken following steps to promote the mulberry sericulture in the country:-
(i) Four mulberry varieties viz., C2038, G4, Suvarna-2 and Tr-23 have been developed. A new mulberry variety PPR-1 with the advantages of early sprouting, greater rooting efficiency and enhanced leaf yield was released for commercial exploitation in temperate regions of Jammu and Kashmir.
(ii) A new mulberry genotype C-13, having leaf yield potential of 1.27 kg per plant/yr with 18.8% yield improvement over S-1635 (1.066 kg) was developed.
(iii) A low temperature stress tolerant mulberry genotypes with high leaf yield viz., C-108 (15.4 mt) C-384 (9.7 mt) and C-212 (9.2 mt) has been identified.
(iv) 1269 Mulberry Germplasm accessions are being conserved in the ex situ field gene bank for gene pool conservation and breeding
(v) Field evaluation of “Nemahari”, a bio-nematicide has been done which resulted in the reduction of root knot disease up to 80% with an improved leaf yield (15-18%).
R&D efforts made by the CSB have helped in improving the mulberry productivity from 50 MT/Ha/year during 2005-06 to 58 MT/Ha/year during 2015-16 and cocoon productivity from 706 Kg/Ha. during 2005-06 to 750 Kg/Ha. during 2015-16.
(vi) For production of bivoltine silk which is the high quality mulberry silk, the different measures have been taken such as, development of improved of mulberry varieties viz. V1, G4, G2, organization of 176 bivoltine clusters under Cluster Promotion Programme (CPP) during XII Plan, strengthening of Cold Storage facilities and Bivoltine grainages to produce, store and supply quality Bivoltine silkworm seed and implementation of one Intensive Bivoltine Sericulture project at a total cost of Rs.236.78 Cr. in eight North Eastern States from 2015-16 exclusively to promote Bivoltine silk, under North East Region Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS).
(f): Government has drawn different future plans for promotion of sericulture industry in the country. Some of them are as under:-
(i) Major intervention towards achieving self-sufficiency in import substitute bivoltine silk and bringing shift from cross breeds to improved cross breeds for making Indian silk industry self-sufficient globally competitive by 2020, organic farming, use of non-conventional energy, strengthening public extension system, Swacchha Resham Adarsh Gram, IT enabled effective monitoring system, support to address critical gaps in infrastructure at stakeholder level, strengthening of seri-input delivery mechanism and to continue the mechanization for improving the productivity, quality and reducing the drudgery.
(ii) To improve the quality silk yarn of international standards and reduce wastage, to undertake focus on indigenously made Automatic Reeling Machines (ARMs) with Automatic Reeling/Automatic Dupion Reeling units.
(iii) To take up use of silk in Biomaterial research in the medical field for applications such as sutures, surgical bandages, optical devices, cell scaffolding and adhesive gels and also in cosmetic fields.
(iv) Convergence with other schemes of the Government of India such as MGNREGA, RKVY etc. to tap resources for the integrated development of sericulture mainly towards expanding the area under host plantation.
(v) To take up International Collaborative projects with Japan, Bulgaria, Uzbekistan, China etc. for exchange genetic materials to develop improved silkworm breeds suitable to Indian conditions.