SHILLONG: The ongoing lockdown has affected maintenance of mulberry plantation for silkworm rearing.
Dr Collin Z Renthlei, Scientist D, Central Silk Board Shillong, told The Shillong Times that distribution of silkworm seeds has reduced from 4.2 lakh last year to 3.5 lakh this year because officers could not visit villages due to the lockdown.
Renthlei said though there is about 30 per cent reduction in rearing in spring, work has not stopped even amid various restrictions and farmers are working hard.
There is a bright side too. Improved air quality has proved to be beneficial for the silkworms as the cocoons have come out well, the expert pointed out.
Silk rearing comes with a tough task for the sericulture demonstrators even as they face hardship during lockdown.
A sericulture demonstrator at the seed farm for mulberry silkworm eggs in Madan Laban said she starts work at 6 am and then she comes back at 1 pm and 7 pm. She stays in one of the quarters inside the plantation.
Seeds from this farm are distributed among farmers who rear the eggs for commercial purpose that is for yarning.
The demonstrator said rearing of silkworms is already done and the next stage is grainage. The cold weather is a delaying factor for the silkworms. The demonstrator said it usually takes 30 days for the seeds to hatch but due to the cold weather, the process took 40 days.
The maximum temperature is 25-26°C and the minimum temperature is 21°C. The weather should not be too cold or too hot.
In Meghalaya, there are about 4000 Mulberry farmers. In East Khasi Hills, there is a Mulberry farm in Shillong rearing Mulberry silkworm, the cocoon of which gives the dhara. In Ri-Bhoi, there is Eri Silk which produces Ryndia clothes, some muga worms. In Jaintia hills, majority of mulberry silkworm is reared while there are some muga and eri.
“The plantation varies and depends on area of individual plantation and spacing. However, we recommend 3 ft x 3ft spacing and in one acre there will be about 4,800 plants. Land holding of sericulture farmers differs from place to place and also depends on their commitment,” said Renthlei, adding that most of the farmers likely have an average of half acre of land for sericulture.
