Mysuru: “There was huge demand from the silk growers in Mysuru District to open a Silk Cocoon Market in this area and bowing to the demand, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy approved it in the recent budget,” said Sericulture Minister S. R. Mahesh.

He was speaking after inaugurating the Silk Cocoon Market at APMC Yard in Bandipalya on Mysuru-Ooty Road here this morning and said the present market on 80ft X 37ft opened in the Yard is a temporary place but in the coming days it will be shifted to a two-acre land where the Market will be developed.

“In Mysuru District there are 35,458 cocoon growers and mulberry is grown in 18,333 hectares of land in Mysuru, Chamarajanagar and Mandya districts and there are 735 retailers of cocoon. The problem the growers faced all these years was that they had to carry the cocoons to markets in Ramanagara, Kollegal, Channapatna, T. Narasipur and Malavalli to sell the cocoons. But now with the opening of the Market here their woes are answered,” he said.

Recalling the history of Sericulture in Karnataka, Mahesh said, “Karnataka Sericulture has a history of more than 215 years. It was in 1785 that ruler of Mysore Tipu Sultan who established Sericulture in Mysore kingdom. Then the Mysore royal family continued with its patronage and now both the Central and State Governments are encouraging and facilitating the silk growers in a big way with innovative ideas.” Growing silk has become a viable option for farmers as it brings good price and even the government is supporting them with minimum support price. 12 lakh farmers are benefited directly and indirectly by growing mulberry plants and rearing cocoons, he said.