Mancherial and Kumram Bheem Asifabad districts to record highest production in last 15 years
UPDATE – 11:32 PM, Monday – December 19 22
In total, 1.2 million cocoons were harvested and will be transferred to the Mancherial market soon, said Parvathi Rathod, Deputy Director of Sericulture Department at Mancherial.
Adilabad: Tribal farmers from the Mancherial and Kumram Bheem Asifabad districts, up-and-coming in sericulture, are poised to set a record production of 4 million Tasar or Tussar cocoons this year. Sericulture sector authorities are encouraged that both Mancherial and Kumram Bheem Asifabad districts are set to record their highest production in the past 15 years.
“So far this year, as many as 2.2 million Tasar cocoons have been produced by 600 tribal farmers in 14 villages in Chennur, Vemanapalli, Kotapalli, Kannepalli and Mancherial’s Nennal mandals. Farmers are expected to grow a total of 1.2 million cocoons soon It is estimated that 260 tribal farmers from the Bejjur and Koutal mandals of Kumram Bheem Asifabad planted a total of 400,000 cocoons,” Parvathi Rathod, Assistant Director, Sericulture Department, Mancherial told Telangana Today.
Both Mancherial and Kumram Bheem Asifabad are witnessing a substantial increase in Tasar cocoon production in 2022, she said, adding that 1 million cocoons were produced in 2021. As many as 400,000 cocoons were planted in 2020. She attributes the record yield to the dedication and commitment shown by the tribal farmers. The cocoons procured from the growers are held in a public auction in Chinnur every year. Traders from Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and other parts of the country participated in the auction. In 2021, these silk cocoons will be sold at Rs 3.80 per cocoon. Chennur belt is considered as the largest tasar cocoon producer in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
What is Tassar Cocoon
Tasar silk cocoons are a type of silk containing many insects that are processed into fine silk threads used to make sarees and other garments. They are traditionally grown by tribes who camp out in the forest as a means of livelihood. They are planted on the leaves of Terminalia Arjuna (Tella Maddi) and Yeru Maddi trees in 2,100 hectares of Mancherial Chennur area and 1,000 hectares of Kumram Bheem Asifabad forests.
Tribe earns Rs 50,000 per year
Breeding tasar cocoons has always been an integral part of tribal life in the old days of Adilabad. In view of this, the sericulture department encourages farmers to plant cocoons through a series of services such as market connection, seed production and supply, guidance, and skill improvement. Growers can earn Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 50,000 per year by practicing this unique traditional occupation.
