KASUR: The sericulture industry, which is a source of livelihood for hundreds of families in Changa Manga and adjoining villages, has not been on the list of priorities of successive governments for several years.

Despite the growing demand for natural silk, its cottage industry has failed to flourish here. The industry is facing numerous problems, including lack of research, trained personnel and poor economic conditions of the farmers.

Sericulture includes the cultivation of mulberry, silkworm rearing and post-cocoon activities, eventually leading to the production of silk yarn.

Silk is obtained in two seasons annually: from February to April called spring rearing and from September to November known as autumn rearing. This year’s spring rearing would end on April 15 (today).

Changa Manga forest, located some 80 kilometres southwest of Lahore, is one of the largest centres of silk production. A forest department committee had on Friday recommended plantation of mulberry trees on over 500 acres in the forest; as of now, mulberry trees were planted on around 200 acres.

Local farmers Muhammad Riaz, Ali Hassan and Shakeel Ahmed demanded uniform cultivation of mulberry to facilitate the farmer community. They also demanded better eggs for healthy worms and capacity building of farmers.

The sericulture industry was introduced to the sub-continent through the Silk Road thousands of years ago. China is the largest silk producing country in the world followed by India. Some Chinese private companies visited Changa Manga in 2018 and found great potential for silk production and placed orders with local farmers.

According to sericulture official Muhammad Farooq, about 100 families in the forest region were attached to this cottage industry in 2016, while the number of families earning their livelihood through this industry had now increased to over 600. He also said that about 500 metric tonnes of silk was required from Punjab annually to meet the domestic demand before it was exported.

Muhammad Waqas, a member of Forest Protection Committee, urged for micro-financing schemes for the promotion and sustainability of the industry.

He said the sericulture industry was earlier associated with the small industry cooperation, but in 1966 it was attached to the forest department that never owned it.

He also said that if the cottage industry was patronised by the government it could help alleviate poverty.

Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2019