Cocoon production

Key Facts

• Cocoon production in Karnataka, which had been hit by a mulberry disease, appears poised to pick up just in time to meet the growing demand for indigenous silk.
• The leafroller insect, which eats the shoots of mulberry plants, had affected the production in the State. With the climate change in the last few days and the use of pesticides bringing the disease under control, most cocoon markets have reported an increase in arrivals. The prices of the cocoon, which had remained high for the last three months, had begun to ease in the last week
• The cocoon market in Ramanagaram, one of the largest in the State, was trading 25 to 30 tonnes of cocoons daily during the last three to four months when the production was low. But, in the last one week, the arrivals had crossed 50 tonnes a day, consequently bringing down the price
• The average price of cocoons used to between ₹480 and ₹495 for the crossbreed and between ₹630 and ₹670 for the superior quality bivoltine during January and February, has eased to an average of ₹400 for the former and ₹492 for the latter in the last one week.
• With the price of cocoons easing and the demand for raw silk expected to increase owing to  COVID­-19 disrupting the import of silk from China, the production of indigenous raw silk is likely to increase. The available stocks of Chinese silk are fast exhausting. With no consignment of silk from China for almost two months now, the indigenous silk is expected to bridge the gap. 
• Indian silk weaving industry caters primarily to the domestic market. Exports play a limited role
• The silk goods manufacturers catering to the local market, including the sari makers, are unperturbed.

Mulberry

Mulberry is the name given to several species of deciduous shrub or tree in the genus Morus (family Moraceae) which are grown for their edible fruits. The genus includes white mulberry (Morus alba) and red mulberry (Morus rubra). Mulberries are small to medium-sized shrubs or trees with a thick tan-gray ridged trunk and light green leaves which vary in shape depending on the variety. Leaves are arranged alternately and are lobed or unlobed, cordate (heart-shaped), dentate (toothed) and acuminate (tapering). The trees produce small green-yellow flowers in dense spikes and an oval aggregate fruit made up of individual drupelets. The fruit can be white, pink or purple to purple-black in color and contains numerous brown seeds. Mulberry can reach a height of 15 m (49 ft) and are quite short-lived, with an economic lifespan of around 15 years. Mulberry is believed to originate from China.

Source: The Hindu