Dr R K Gupta
Sericulture, the cultivation of silk producing insects and the production of silk, has been an integral part of Jammu and Kashmir’s cultural heritage for centuries. The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir’s unique geographical features including its temperate climate and rich biodiversity, offer favourable conditions for quality cocoon production. However, despite its rich heritage and inherent advantages, the sericulture sector in Jammu and Kashmir faces several challenges. In this context, achieving the holistic development of sericulture in Jammu and Kashmir necessitates strategic interventions across multiple fronts because farmers are not getting adequate income from existing 1-2 harvest/year. Therefore, doubling farmer income through innovative sericulture in a holistic way is necessary.
Presently, China and India together contribute approximately 95% of the global raw silk production. Despite a significant decline in silk production over the past decade, China maintains its position as world largest silk producer. Meanwhile, India has experienced an increase in silk production during the same period, yet it remains second to China in global rankings. The development of bivoltine sericulture is a key focus of the Indian silk industry for silk export to the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Germany. Unfortunately, these countries require higher grade quality silk more than ‘3A’ while it is difficult to obtain this grade with multivoltine races. However, with appropriate technological interventions it is possible to achieve this with bivoltine silkworm races. Moreover, the matter of concern is that the farmers practicing sericulture in Jammu and Kashmir have to rely completely on double hybrid (FC1×FC2), developed in southern regions of India which is better suited to their native climatic conditions. Due to lack of genetic diversity among the silkworms raised in this region, this issue is crucial and still debatable as it had led to the decline of native silkworm breeds in Jammu and Kashmir. There is now an urgent need to develop hybrids that would adapt to the native climatic conditions of this region. Instead of focusing on the productivity, prioritizing the development of high-quality silk is also essential, as it plays a significant role in preserving the traditional heritage of this region besides fulfilling the criteria of International Grade of high-quality silk for export. According to the experts of Japan who had visited J&K in the past had ascertained that the bivoltine silk of J&K has the potential to fulfill the International Grade of raw silk owing to climate advantage over other regions.
The Jammu region of J&K Union Territory predominantly rely on bivoltine silk production with a maximum potential of three crops per year. But in reality, due to uncertainty in climatic conditions led to adoption of only one or two crops on field level resulting into non-adoption of sericulture practices by farmers. In order to revive the interest of silkworm rearer, the Division of Sericulture at SKUAST-Jammu took initiative to work on year-round rearing practices with non-violent Eri silk varieties in Jammu region with about 5 crops per year which not only led to increased silk production, but also increases the income of farmers by 3.5 times with greater resilience in the sericulture sector. It is pertinent to mention that Eri silkworm can be reared on castor leaves which is wildly available in Jammu region and the silk obtained from this silkworm is called as Ahimsa silk (non-violent silk) as there is no need to kill the pupae in order to obtain the silk fibre. Therefore, in addition to silk lot of pupae are obtained which are rich source of proteins and can be processed for value-added products like pupal powder, pupal oil, meal etc. Alternatively, these pupae can be fed to the poultry or fish as meal for enhancing the income of the farmers.
Another emerging issue that needs immediate attention is the lack of Silkworm Seed Release Committee at UT level as it limitize the interest of many researchers or breeders who are willing to evolve region specific varieties/ hybrids of silkworm thus hampering the progress of bivoltine sericulture. However, cocoon production is the primary focus of sericulture farmers, there are numerous value-added products that can be manufactured from low grade cocoons such as cocoon art and craft. The Division of Sericulture of SKUAST-Jammu had initiated efforts to educate farmers during Kissan Melas, to maximize their income potential by utilizing low-grade cocoons or by transforming stained or pierced cocoons into art and craft items. These enhanced cocoons can fetch higher prices in the market after undergoing value addition processes. This initiative not only adds value to low-grade cocoons but also empowers farmers to explore new avenues for income generation, contributing to their overall economic well-being.
Another line of work which is being carried out in SKUAST-Jammu is skill development and startup programme in sericulture comprising of:
* New innovative ideas on sericin extraction and its use in biomedical applications.
* Strategic programme on research-oriented problems comprises of development of thermo and disease tolerant races.
* Early and precise diagnostic for diseases.
* Development of herbal disinfectants for organic silk production.
It is emphasized that sericulture should not be perceived as cocoon production and reeling. Holistic approach to develop sericulture as a viable venture for youth and farmer including appropriate technological interventions for high quality silk grade production following latest technologies to compete in International market are urgently required. Bivoltine silk production cannot be compromised for its quality which is otherwise being advocated by Central Silk Board that screen out the potent hybrid or races on the basis of cocoon production only. As such holistic development of Bivoltine Sericulture in J&K can be seen with different perspectives not only focusing on volume of production but it must be relied on improving the quality of silk with export purpose (3A grade). Firstly, holistic breeding programme for native silkworm races must be designed to compete it with the high-grade silk export countries like China. Secondly, to revive the interest of silkworm rearers for year-round rearing (4-5 crops) of diversified silkworm needs to be implemented on farm scale so that farmer gets regular and enhanced income. Thirdly, focus must be put forth on value-added products such as cocoon art and craft, mulberry juice, jams, mulberry baskets, mulberry leaves tea, therapeutic drugs etc. Besides, integration of sericulture with other ventures like poultry, bee keeping, mushroom culture etc.
(The author is Professor cum chief scientist Division of Entomology Faculty of Agriculture, Chatha SKUAST-Jammu)
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