Silk seed centre to come up at Thunag

A boost to farmers’ income

— Seraj valley is famous for tourism as well as the production of apple. However, the production of apple and other fruit crops depends on weather conditions, which sometimes get affected because of natural calamities such as drought and hailstorm

— The state government is giving thrust to providing an alternative source of income to the famers of the district and engage them in sericulture activities

— Currently, 2,000 farmers of the Seraj valley are associated with sericulture in the district

Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Mandi, November 24

To promote sericulture in Mandi district, the state government is setting up a silk seed production centre at a cost of Rs2 crore at Thunag in the Seraj Assembly constituency of Mandi district soon. The Sericulture Department here has identified a tract of forestland at Thunag for the building, where the centre will be set up.

The Seraj valley is famous for tourism as well as the production of apple. However, the production of apple and other fruit crops depends on weather conditions, which sometimes get affected because of natural calamities such as drought and hailstorm. The government is giving a thrust to providing an alternative source of income to the famers of the district and engage them in sericulture activities.

At present, 2,000 farmers from the Seraj valley have been associated with sericulture in the district. They are waiting desperately for the silk seed production centre at Thunag so that they can avail of the facility and supplement their income.

Doctor Arvind Bhardwaj, Sericulture Officer at Balichowki in Mandi district, said, “The department has identified a tract of forestland at Thunag where the building will come up. We have taken up the matter with the panchayat concerned for its nod. Thereafter, a report will be submitted to the government for the forest clearance”.

Bhardwaj said the government was setting up silk industry at Bagachnogi, which would increase the demand of silk produce. This would play a crucial role in improving the economy of farmers in the area.

“The department is making efforts to motivate farmers to adopt sericulture as an alternative source of income to sustain their livelihood. The efforts are proving fruitful, as till now around 2,000 farmers have associated themselves with sericulture in the Seraj area,” he added.

Bhardwaj said that there was a proposal to set up new silk centres at Bagachnogi, Saroa, Dharot, Murah, and Deemkatru in the Seraj Assembly segment. Farmers of the district should come forward to take up sericulture to boost their income.