Director Sericulture J&K, Ajaz Ahmad Bhat today inaugurated a one-day Resham Krishi Mela at P-4, Basic Seed Farm, Manasbal. In the event more than 500 Silkworm Rearers/ youths from all districts of Kashmir participated with great enthusiasm and fervour. On the occasion, the Director Sericulture J&K felicitated 20 progressive Silkworm rearers and 5 Sericulture Entrepreneurs with memento, certificates, and tool kits as a token of appreciation.
The event was jointly organized by the Sericulture Dev. Department J&K and Central Sericulture Research & Training Institute, CSB, Pampore, showcasing the achievements of the sericulture community who have relentlessly dedicated themselves for the welfare of the sericulture sector, farmers and silkworm rearers.
The Director Sericulture J&K also released various booklets/ pamphlets on the occasion exhibiting technical activities and information related to the sericulture practices as a whole. The stalls highlighting various Centrally Sponsored Schemes, Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP), U.T level schemes, and an array of silk/mulberry products were set up by the Sericulture Dev. Department J&K, CSB, Pampore, and various Entrepreneurs of U.T of J&K.
Addressing a huge gathering of Silkworm Rearers and Sericulture Entrepreneurs, Director Sericulture assured the full support of the Department for providing technical guidance of sericulture activities, including Silkworm Rearing, Reeling, and Weaving.
He informed that the Department has also enhanced its Cocoon Bank Revolving Fund from Rs. 70 lakh to Rs. 3.50 Crore for local Reeling Unit holders for increasing consumption of Cocoons at local level and at the same time the department has introduced Production based Incentives to Rearers /Reelers on Cocoon and Silk production under Capex to encourage them towards higher production/productivity.
Besides the Director Sericulture informed that presently the local buyers only consume about 30% cocoons while as the buyers from other states consume 70% cocoons in the Cocoon Auction Markets organized by the Department across J&K and expressed his desire that in coming years the trend should be other way around.
Speaking on the occasion Dr. N.K. Bhatia, Director Central Sericulture Research & Training Institute, CSB, Pampore also shared his valuable inputs viz-a-viz different schemes and the benefits which the people of J&K avail by associating themselves with Sericulture Dev. Department and the CSR&TI Pampore.
Director Central Sericulture Research & Training Institute, CSB, Pampore, Dr. N.K. Bhatia, Director, ICAR-CITH, Srinagr, Dr. M.K. Verma (ARS), Prof. & Dean TSRI-SKUAST-K, Mirgund, Dr. M.F. Baqal, Head ICAR-IGFRI, Srinagar, Dr. Suheel, and officers from Sericulture Dev. Department and Central Silk Board were present and expressed their views on the occasion.