Many farmers have switched over to sericulture from the conventional crops of paddy or groundnut in the central districts in the past two years. This has come in handy for officials of the Sericulture Department, which has planned to increase the area under sericulture in the Cauvery delta districts. Encouraged by the overwhelming response from farmers, the Department has planned to bring an additional 550 acres under sericulture (230 acres in Tiruchi district; 117 in Thanjavur; 65 in Perambalur; 112 in Pudukottai and 26 at the foot of the Pachamalai Hills).