Home > Yarns & Fibresl > Full Story

AP govt proposes contract, corporate farming for silk

In a move to meet the challenges of WTO for internationally competitive silk and to stabilise the cocoon market, the Andhra Pradesh sericulture department has proposed to adopt contract and corporate farming model to cultivate better bivoltine cocoon production, which are in great demand in the overseas markets.

The AP sericulture department has identified a Hyderabad-based company, Tidel Silk Technologies with the technical support of CSTRI, Mysore and Karl Doelitzsch GmbH, Germany for promoting bivoltine cocoon production. The company, mainly promoted by non-resident Indians, has joint venture with Italian participants, the officials said. The proposed project is expected to be implemented in Kuppam, the Chief Minister’s constituency in Chitoor district and Hindupur in Anantapur district. The project covers 3,000 acres in which 2,700 acres are under contract farming and 300 acres is under corporate farming.

The total outlay estimated for the project is about Rs 490 crore which includes a government subsidy of both central and state of Rs 180 crore. The project will provide support under on-farm sector to the farmers apart from providing assistance for construction of sheds, drip irrigation, supply of rearing equipment, etc. The cocoon production from the project area is expected around 1,200 mt per annum. Out of the above production, the company proposes to establish reeling and twisting units to consume 922 mt of cocoons, said the officials. Tidel Silk proposes to produce around 105 mt of international quality of twisted yarn every year, generating an employment to 16,000 persons.