VISAKHAPTANAM: From collecting silkworm eggs to weaving fine Tasar silk fabric, tribal families under the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) Chinturu in ASR district are getting a sustainable source of livelihood through Tasar culture. This forest-based activity, locally known as Tasar sericulture, has become a steady source of income for landless tribal communities living in remote forest areas.
Tasar silk worm rearing depends on host plants like Terminalia tomentosa (Nalla Maddi) and Terminalia arjuna (Tella Maddi), which are grown in forest regions. “Tasar culture is a boon for tribals as it requires no agricultural land and can be practiced in the forest itself,” said GV Hari Krishna, Assistant Sericulture Officer (ASO), ITDA Chinturu.
Currently, Tasar activity is concentrated in the mandals of Kunavaram, Chintoor, and VR Puram. Around 1,600 tribal families are engaged in this activity. “On average, a farmer earns about Rs 30,000 per crop, with three crops taken in a year,” Hari Krishna stated.
The Sericulture Department provides 100% subsidy for Tasar DFLs (Disease Free Layings), technical support and market linkages. Each batch of 100 DFLs, worth Rs 1,600, is supplied for free. Farmers receive wage compensation of Rs 3,000 per crop, and disinfectants are provided at 90% subsidy. To ensure availability of quality DFLs, 10 private grainages have been set up by tribal women’s groups with Rs 2 lakh working capital aid from each department. These grainages purchase seed cocoons, produce DFLs, and supply them to ryots. “Each grainage earns a profit of Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.75 lakh annually,” said Hari Krishna.
The region produces 40-45 lakh Tasar cocoons annually, which are auctioned to traders from Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh. “Our goal is to set up reeling and spinning units so that value addition can happen locally. This will not only increase farmer income threefold but also create employment for about 200 tribal households,” Hari Krishna added.
To achieve this, ITDA Chinturu has set up two training centres for reeling, spinning, and weaving. In 2021-22, 100 tribal women received training, and 50 reeling and 50 spinning machines were distributed. At Paidigudem village, 10 looms with warp machines support cluster-based training. Nearly 50 tribals are learning handloom weaving under Astitva Mahila Samithi, which hand-paints, designs, and brands sarees in Bilaspur before marketing them in Kunavaram.
ITDA plans to promote Tasar silk products under the brand ‘Chinturu Tasar Fabrics.’ “We want to create a recognised brand and market it across the country. For this, establishing reeling, spinning, and twisting units under the private sector is essential. This is not just about silk; it’s about creating livelihoods and empowering tribal communities,” he noted.