Sericulture sector of Lakhimpur district fulfils target, products exported abroad

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: The sericulture sector has brought golden ray of hope to Lakhimpur district paving a way for being it a benefitted industry. The district is potent enough to fulfil its target with regard to production of muga, edi and silk threads resulting in export of an expectable amount of these sericulture production to abroad.

It is noteworthy that Lakhimpur district is only the traditional muga growing area of the globe. The Dhakuakhana subdivision of the district is special in this regard. There are almost ten thousand families in the subdivision who are actively involved in muga culture covering an area more than 1600 hectare land under muga food plant. However, around 28,000 sericulture farmers have contributed immensely to this sector growing edi, muga and silk worm at various places under the district. Out of them are 9000 muga growers, 11,000 edi growers while around 8000 farmers are silk worm rearers. At present, these farmers have taken the sericulture sector as their main source of earning.

In North Lakhimpur subdivision, muga has been grown in larger Azad area, Gohain Tekela, Telahi-Bantow, Enaighoria, Engarkhowa, Bosagaon, Khaga, Boginadi, Padumoni while it has been cultivated at Shingia, Deolia, Gpobindapur, Choiguri, Jamuguri, Malabari, Mohmari Batow, Dighali Gaon and larger Jalbhari area under Dhakuakhana subdivision. On the other hand silk worm has been grown at Matmora, Koroiguri, Sonari Chapori, Dholpeta, Potia, Borpotia under Dhakuakhana subdivision in addition to different parts under North Lakhimpur sub-division. Significantly, the flood affected agro-farmers of the mentioned areas under Dhakuakhana subdivision have taken silk worm farming as the substitute of paddy cultivation.

On the other hand, Edi, though the sector is still non-integrated, is grown by a good deal of irregular farmers at different parts of the district. As a result of such endeavours, the production of muga, edi and silk yarns in the district grew up last year. A total of 14.2 Matric Ton(MT) muga yarn, 4.8 MT silk yarn and 101MT edi yarn were produced in Lakhimpur district in 2018 as per report found from the Sericulture Department. The Department concerned informed that there were strong possibility of high production in sericulture sector in the running year.

It is known that the muga cocoon bank established in the Assistant Director of Sericulture office campus, located at Japisajia has benefitted the muga growers of Lakhimpur district. Muga and edi cocoons are purchased from the muga and edi growers by paying them minimum supporting price through the bank wiping out the mediators who always pay them low price for the cocoons. Various schemes taken by the State government for the enhancement of the sericulture sector have also benefitted the seri-growers. At present, the demand clothes made by muga, silk and edi has grown in the European countries besides China. As a result, sericulture production has been exported to abroad from Lakhimpur in addition to that of BTAD area of the State.

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