Auction of silk cocoon generates Rs 1.54 crore for farmers

The auction of silk cocoon in the Billawar area of Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir has garnered Rs 1.5 crore for farmers.
"The Sericulture Development department organised dry silk cocoon auction market at Kishanpur Billawar from May 23 to June 9 for the cocoon produced during spring season by cocoon growers of Billawar area," an official spokesman said here today.
He added that more than 50 silk cocoon buyers from West Bengal, besides three buyers from the Kashmir valley, participated and purchased 28,095.35 kg of dry cocoon from about 4,000 farmers.
"The total amount generated in the auction was Rs 1.54 crore at an average rate of Rs 550 per kg," he said.

He added that cocoon was auctioned through open bid system where buyers, after assessing the cocoon lots for various quality parameters such as colour, shine, built, shell weight, offered bids to the lots and competed to buy the cocoons of their choice.
"It is pertinent to mention that during current year's spring season due to adverse climatic conditions when other crops failed, cocoon crop has been produced successfully but not to the extent it is produced in normal weather conditions" he added.