Secretary, Agriculture Production and Horticulture Departments, Manzoor Ahmad Lone today visited the ongoing cocoon buyer-seller meet at Srinagar.On the occasion, Lone said that there was imminent need to increase the production of the cocoons and also to focus on their quality. He also called for the adoption of modern and scientific practices in the cocoon rearing, reeling as well as silk weaving.The Secretary said that for a better and healthy competition in the cocoon market e-trading is imperative to add to the earnings of the cocoon rearers, as the same can be instrumental in attracting a large number of auctioneers at local and national level.He further said that a plan for e-trading of Saffron has already been formulated and once the plan is put to action, the practice can be adopted in Sericulture sector as well.Lone said that the cocoon rearing, reeling and silk weaving was providing livelihood to around 25000 families of the State and there was a need to motivate more and more unemployed youth to venture into the Sericulture activities by way of incentivization and availability of green mulberry.It was given out that during the current buyer-seller meet there have been better dividends for the cocoon rearers as the rates have touched Rs 1250 per Kg for A-Grade cocoons.The Secretary was informed that the cocoon buyer-seller meet has already concluded at Anantnag in which 1276 growers of twin districts of Kulgam and Anantnag auctioned 18337.250 KGS of cocoons worth Rs.1.36 crore.Whereas, in the ongoing cocoon buyer-seller meet at Srinagar in which cocoon rearers of Srinagar, Ganderbal and Bandipora are participating have sold 51000 Kgs of produce during the last two days.