<p>Sericulture farms in India’s northeastern state of Assam, are suddenly witnessing a rush of female workers. Improved connectivity of villages is a major reason for this transformation. Women self-help
sericin, a by-product of silk, may now find use in skin care products that protect from ultraviolet (uv) rays. A study revealed the protein protects the outermost layer of skin from uv rays.
The Central Silk Board (CSB), the apex body of the Indian sericulture industry, is involved in developing new hybrids to improve bivoltine silk production in sub-tropical Northern India. Among northern states, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttaranchal are the traditional bivoltine silk producers in the region. Despite more potential for bivoltine silk in these states, their combined contribution remains low, when compared to other states like Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. One of the major reasons for such a low production is lack of region-specific and acclimatised productive hybrids, CSB officials said. Currently,
Mulberry sericulture is a labour-intensive industry in all its phases, namely, cultivation of silkworm food plants, silkworm rearing, silk reeling and other post cocoon processes. In the global context, silk accounts for about 0.2 per cent of total textile fiber production. However, in value terms, silk stands for high value export oriented items in the world trade. Oct-Dec 2007
Spider gene unravelled
The Asian giant unravels the most extensive genetic mapping of the silkworm
The government is obsessed with economic growth. Employment is bound to follow, it claims. That’s a delusion. The swelling numbers of unemployed continue to clamour for
Not the path of economic growth, but the trail leading back to the village is the answer
Sal leaf trade has enormous potential but suffers abject neglect
Whether bamboo is a grass or a tree is a question of survival for many
Falling profits discourage silk farmers
