Coimbatore Organises Exhibition To Create Awareness About Sericulture

Tamil Nadu is famed for its silk, especially when it comes to saree. The regal Kanchipuram silk saree is an authentic and fine woven art that can last generations if maintained properly. Due to the durability of silk, people prefer it over other materials. Indian women prefer to wear silk outfits, especially for weddings.

From Victoria Beckham to Oprah Winfrey, celebrities across the world have a certain fascination for this material. Silk is produced by Sericulture or silk farming. It is the process of production of raw silk by raising caterpillars, especially the domesticated silkworm. Sericulture is one of the sectors of agriculture that profits the farmer. To raise awareness about profiting from sericulture and the methodology involved, an exhibition was organised for the public in Tamil Nadu recently.

Coimbatore District Collector’s Office, on behalf of the Coimbatore District Development Department, hosted an exhibition that showcased silk eggs, silkworms, silk cocoons, extraction of silk thread from cocoons and valuable items made from these silk cocoons. The experts offered explanations about the method of silk farming to the farmers, as well as the public who arrived at the exhibition. The event was also held to inform the public about the subsidy schemes offered by the government to the farmers to help them take up sericulture. The public can get a glimpse of these farmers’ livelihoods through this exhibition.

Assistant inspector of the silk development department, Chandini said to News18 that they are trying to create awareness about silkworm rearing as a small business establishment. She said, “We teach you how to raise silkworms for gardening, and when the worms grow, their cocoons are taken to sell.”

She also informed that Rs 10,500 is being given as a subsidy for government garden planting, Rs 1.20 lakh subsidy for silkworm rearing plots and Rs 52 subsidy for logistics materials. Chandini also urged the public to meet the Assistant Director at Balasundaram Road, Coimbatore, if they want to know more or have doubts regarding silkworm farming.