Telangana: Tribal farmers eye record yield of 40 lakh Tasar silk cocoons

Mancherial and Kumram Bheem Asifabad districts are set to register the highest production in the last 15 years

Adilabad: Tribal farmers from Mancherial and Kumram Bheem Asifabad districts, who are making a mark in sericulture, are poised to register a record yield of 40 lakh Tasar or Tussar silk cocoons this year. Both Mancherial and Kumram Bheem Asifabad districts are set to register the highest production in the last 15 years, cheering Sericulture Department authorities.

“As many as 22 lakh Tasar cocoons have already been produced by 600 tribal farmers in 14 villages in Chennur, Vemanapalli, Kotapalli, Kannepalli, and Nennal mandals of Mancherial this year so far. A total of 12 lakh cocoons are expected to be grown by the farmers soon. A total of 4 lakh cocoons are estimated to be cultivated by 260 tribal farmers from Bejjur and Koutal mandals in Kumram Bheem Asifabad,” Mancherial Sericulture Department Assistant Director Parvathi Rathod told Telangana Today.

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Both Mancherial and Kumram Bheem Asifabad had seen a substantial rise in the yield of Tasar cocoons in 2022, she said, adding that 10 lakh cocoons were produced in 2021. As many as 4 lakh cocoons were cultivated in 2020. She attributed the record yield to the dedication and commitment shown by the tribal farmers. The cocoons, procured from the growers, are sold through an open auction in Chennur every year. Traders from Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, and other parts of the country take part in the auction. The silky cases were sold for Rs 3.80 per cocoon in 2021. Chennur belt is regarded as the largest producer of Tasar cocoons in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

What are Tasar cocoons

Cocoons of Tasar, a variety of silk, contain many insects that are processed to produce exquisite silk thread used in manufacturing saris and other clothing. They are traditionally grown by tribals camping in the forests as means of livelihood. They are cultivated on leaves of Terminalia Arjuna (Tella Maddi) and Yeru Maddi trees spread over 2,100 hectares in Chennur area of Mancherial and 1,000 hectares of forests in Kumram Bheem Asifabad.

Tribals earn Rs 50,000 per annum

Cultivating Tasar cocoons has been an integral part of the lives of the tribals of the erstwhile Adilabad district. Considering this, the Sericulture Department has been encouraging the farmers to grow cocoons by extending a slew of services such as market linkage, production and supply of seeds, guidance, and upgrading their skills. The growers are able to earn between Rs 40,000 and Rs 50,000 per annum by venturing into this unique traditional occupation.