NAMAKKAL: A new integrated silk cocoon market complex is set to come up at Rasipuram, and its foundation stone will be laid on Thursday by Minister for MSMEs TM Anbarasan at an estimated cost of Rs 2.20 crore from the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) funds of Rajya Sabha MP KRN Rajesh Kumar. The event was attended by Minister for Adi Dravidar Welfare M Mathiventhan, MP KRN Rajesh Kumar, and District Collector Durgamoorthi, along with officials from the Sericulture department.
Officials said the existing cocoon market at Rasipuram, operational since 2021, handles sales worth over Rs 16 crore. The new integrated facility is expected to serve over 4,000 silk farmers from the districts of Namakkal, Karur, Dindigul, Tiruchy, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Thanjavur, and Tiruvarur.
As part of the programme, farm inputs and subsidies worth Rs 93.28 lakh were distributed to 152 silk farmers. Sericulture equipment such as power weeders, sprayers, exhaust fans, and rearing house materials were provided to 147 farmers under a state government scheme amounting to Rs 74.92 lakh.
In addition, five farmers who had taken up mulberry cultivation and established rearing houses received subsidies of Rs 18.36 lakh under a central scheme. Certificates of appreciation were also presented to 75 progressive farmers with over 10 years of experience in sericulture.
Officials noted that sericulture in Namakkal has expanded in recent years, with subsidies provided for mulberry cultivation, silkworm rearing houses, and modern farming equipment. They also added that across Tamil Nadu, 16,313 silk farmers have received subsidies totalling Rs 183 crore in the last four years.