Punjab News: The Punjab government announced plans to launch state-produced silk products under its own brand, with the aim of doubling silk production by 2025. This initiative, part of the Mann government’s focus on empowering farmers, was unveiled by Horticulture Minister Chetan Singh Jouramajra during the state-level Silk Day function held in Chandigarh on Saturday.
During the event, the department’s official logo for silk products was launched. Minister Jouramajra highlighted that sericulture is currently practiced in approximately 230 villages across the sub-mountainous regions of Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Pathankot, and Rupnagar districts. He emphasized the government’s commitment to increasing production, noting that Punjab primarily produces bivoltine mulberry silk and eri silk.
Boosting Farmers’ Income with New Reeling Units
Each year, Punjab produces 30,000 to 35,000 kg of mulberry silk cocoons and 5,000 to 8,000 kg of eri silk cocoons. However, many of the state’s silk farmers, particularly those below the poverty line or with small landholdings, currently earn only ₹40,000 to ₹50,000 annually, an income considered insufficient. To address this, the government plans to set up reeling units to process silk cocoons into silk thread, allowing farmers to receive better prices for their produce.
A reeling unit is already being established in Pathankot, and with its operationalization, farmers’ incomes could increase by 1.5 to 2 times, according to Jouramajra. He also highlighted the government’s decision to reactivate the state’s only silk seed production center in Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh, to lower production costs and ensure affordable seeds for farmers.
Support for Silk Farmers
Special Chief Secretary (Horticulture), KAP Sinha, emphasized the government’s ongoing efforts to support silk farmers. With 13 government sericulture farms already in place, the technical staff is providing essential services to farmers, including plantation assistance, distribution of silkworm eggs, rearing of young silkworms, and marketing support for cocoons.
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