Mysuru cocoon market a viable alternative

KSIC lending a helping hand by sourcing a good part of its requirement locally

Mysore: The cocoon market Mysuru appears to be establishing itself as a viable alternative to other cocoon markets in the region. Supporting the cocoon market in its journey to make itself viable is Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation (KSIC), which is sourcing a good part of its requirement from the Mysuru market.

Official sources said that ever since the Mysuru market opened two months back, the KSIC, whose more-than-century-old weaving factory is located in the city, prefers the cocoon sold here than in any other markets in the State.

Sericulture farmers from Mysuru keep in touch with those in the Ramanagaram market, which attracts cocoons from not only different parts of Karnataka, but also neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. “They know the prevailing price of cocoon and demand the same from the reelers here,” an official said.

Mulberry cultivation is spread across more than 5,000 acres of land in Mysuru district with more than 3,300 families of farmers engaged in sericulture activities. Mysuru district is believed to produce as much as 70,000 to 75,000 kg of cocoons every month.

There is scope for the Mysuru market to attract more cocoons, said the officials pointing out that several reelers from Kollegal lure the farmers to the market there promising a better price. Kollegal is a reelers’ hub and the reelers, who want to avoid travel to Mysuru, try to induce the farmers to the market in Kollegal.

However, Sericulture Department officials are trying to convince the farmers that they would save on the transportation if they stick to the Mysuru market to sell their cocoons. With reelers playing a key role in the viability of the cocoon market, Sericulture Department officials are looking forward to encouraging more people to take up reeling activities in Mysuru.

“We are looking forward to giving more reeling licence to people who come forward to set up reeling units in Mysuru”, said Deputy Director of Sericulture Javaregowda. Already, there are two large reeling units in the Mysuru region including one with an Automatic Reeling Machine (ARM) in Bannur and a multi-end unit in Kadakola.

“If people, including sericulture farmers, come forward to setting up reeling units, we will inspect the facility and give them licence to purchase cocoons,”, Javaregowda added.

Though reelers from the region also participate in the auctions at the cocoon market in Mysuru, most of the purchasers are reelers from reeling hubs like Kollegal and Ramanagaram. The need to promote the activity in Mysuru is crucial for the viability of the cocoon market here.

The volume of transactions at the market varies from as low as 500 kg to as much as 1,500 kg every day, said an official from the Sericulture Department who is in charge of the cocoon market in Mysuru.

The department claimed that the market average sale is 25,000 to 30,000 kg every month.

The farmers are receiving a reasonable price of Rs. 330 to Rs. 350 per kg of superior quality Bivoltine cocoon and around Rs. 280 per kg of cross-breed varieties.

The cocoon market in Mysuru, however, has to vie with those in Ramanagaram, Kollegal, Malavalli, T. Narasipur and Santhemarahalli, among others. The Sericulture Department officials often telephone reelers from different parts of the State like Ramanagaram and Kollegal and invite them to the cocoon market in Mysuru.