PESHAWAR, June 11: The sericulture wing of NWFP forest department has prepared a ten-year plan with a financial outlay of Rs 70.80 million for expansion of sericulture in the province.
“Dubbed as ‘Sericulture Vision 2012 in NWFP’, the plan will be executed in two phases,” informed an official of sericulture department.
Presently the Vision 2012 has been submitted for approval of the NWFP governor after which action would be taken over it, added the official.
The plan envisages increase in annual production of cocoons from present 15 tons to 40 tons in 2012, income generation to the tune of Rs 75.5 million by increasing production of silk seeds, raising honey production to 2500 kg, production of 162,500 kg yarn at an average rate of Rs 3,000 per kg and involvement of families in seri-apiculture from present 2,000 to 13,500.
The plan also aims at increasing dry cocoons and honey yield per packet per hive from current level of 8 kg to enhanced level of 12 kg dry cocoons and 8 kg honey to 14 kg per hive per season through introduction of improved management techniques.
According to the break-up of the total financial outlay, Rs 11 million would be spent on hybridization of silkworm eggs, 12.91 million on research and improvement of sericulture department facilities, Rs 30 million for training and induction of women fold in sericulture and Rs 16.88 million on introduction of apiculture in the NWFP.
The targets set in plan would be achieved through increase in mulberry nurseries, arrangement of practical training in silkworm rearing, mulberry cultivation, silk yarn reeling & apiculture to the personnel of the department, increase in disease-free and disease-resistant varieties of silkworm eggs, local methods of hatching of eggs will be substituted by incubators, easy access to market facilities, introduction of co-operative rearing of young larvae, introduction of other methods of income generation.
The planning also include hygiene and disease control through disinfection, control of infectious and non-infectious diseases, quality mulberry fields, suitable environment of the insectary and introduction of new silkworms and honey bees rearing techniques.
The demonstration and popularization programme of the plan suggests use of radio, TV, print media, pamphlets, documentaries, exhibition, farmers gatherings for dissemination of benefits of seri and apiculture.
The sericulture department would also make efforts to promote contacts between banks and sericulture farmers as the Bank of Khyber (BoK) has already agreed to introduce a micro- credit facility for progressive farmers.
Similarly, the Khushali Bank, whenever established, will also be approached for this purpose.
For achieving the targets, village development committees, village organizations established by various projects and agencies will also be motivated.
Those organisations already engaged in national cause will be contacted, motivated and their co-operation sought for development and expansion of sericulture and apiculture.
The possible sources of funding for the plan are mentioned in the plan as provincial ADP, forestry sector, research and development directorate, international agencies, private and industrial sector.—APP