Chitradurga (Karnataka): The novel coronavirus outbreak has rattled the global economy which led to a massive decrease in the import of China-silk. However, the demand for silk is steadily increasing in Karnataka's Chitradurga district.
According to sources, the import of China-silk to Ramanagara Silk Market in the state has stopped in the wake of the deadly coronavirus outbreak.
Due to this reason, farmers of this area are now more interested to produce silk than ever before. Farmers are now focusing on earning profit by producing silk using drip irrigation methods and with less investment.
Chitradurga, a district in Karnataka, where the silk farmers are reeling under drought for several years but the coronavirus threat has become a boon for the silk farmers in Molakalmur, Challakere, and Hiriyur taluks.
Sources said that the market price of 1 kg of silk which earlier ranged from Rs 325 to Rs 375 has now gone up to Rs 575 and Rs 625. Silk is being produced on around 189 hectares of land in Chitradurga district.
Also read: Naveen Patnaik re-elected as BJD president for 8th time
"I have been into sericulture for last 14 years. Before a few months the price of silk cocoon was priced Rs 350 and after Coronavirus outbreak in China, the silk fibre import stopped. We are now getting anywhere from Rs 575 to 625 and it has turned beneficial to sericulture farmers," said Hanumanthappa, Sericulture farmer.
"The government should stop importing silk from other countries and promote local farmers. When there are good prices, local farmers would involve in sericulture more and there would not be a need to import silk from other countries," he added.
"Since the demand of China Silk decreased due to the coronavirus threat, there is a huge demand for the local silk. For last year, one kg of silk cocoons was priced at Rs 450 and the prices have increased to Rs 575 and reaching up to Rs 616 and more. Approximately, 150 to 180 kgs of cocoons can be produced from one acre of farm. There are farmers who cultivated up to 200 kgs of cocoons and realised more than one lakh rupees. It is happy news for the farmers," Balakrishna, deputy director of Sericulture Department, said.
Notably, India is the second-largest producer of silk in the world after China.
Coronavirus which has hit China hard has indeed become a boon for the farmers of Chitradurga district. This has brought back a smile on the lips of the farmers in the Chitradurga district.
