RAMANAGARA: The shimmering silk from Ramanagara lends beauty to the famous Kanchi, Dharmavaram and Banaras sarees and Karnataka's very own Ilkal, Molakalmuru and Mysore sarees.
But this year, sericulture farmers in Karnataka, mainly from Ramanagara and nearby districts, have been dealt a double blow due to the lockdown.
While they are paying twice the amount for silkworm eggs, the cocoons are selling at only half the price.
Thousands of sericulture farmers and silk reelers visit the cocoon market at Ramanagara, one of the largest in Asia, where, on an average, 40,000-50,000 kg of cocoons are auctioned every day. Farmers also come from Mandya, Chitradurga, Haveri, Kolar, Tumakuru, Bengaluru Rural and Chamarajnagar, and even from neighbouring states like Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
But ever since the lockdown, weavers have shut their weaving units with no market to sell their produce. The reelers are also not able to sell the silk yarn to the weavers and hence, they are either buying less cocoons or not buying at all. Due to this, the price of cocoons has fallen drastically, adding to the woes of the farming community.
Arun Kumar, a sericulture farmer from Hemmanahalli in Maddur taluk, said he gets a yield of about 100 kg of cocoons once in 25 days for which he spends Rs 30,000. Earlier, the cocoons would sell at Rs 500 per kg, but now the price has plummeted to Rs 250 per kg. "After spending on transportation and calculating other expenses, I hardly get Rs 3,000. Since I also rear cattle, I am able to manage somehow,'' he said. The State Government has not come to the rescue of sericulturists, unlike flower, fruit and vegetable growers, he rued. Hanumanthappa, who had come all the way from Magod in Ranebennur, said he gets 80 kg of cocoons from 100 eggs.
Silk reelers are also facing difficult times
Hanumanthappa’s cocoons are a bit expensive because of the snow white quality. “I used to get Rs 650 per kg, but now it is only Rs 325 per kg. I hardly get anything from this. I need to fend for my my family and pay wages to the labourers,’’ he said. Since the cocoons cannot be kept for more than six to seven days, the rearers end up selling them for a pittance, fearing that they may lose everything.
Swamy, a farmer from Palabhovidoddi in Ramanagara taluk, said he bought 50 silkworm eggs for Rs 3000, which used to cost Rs 1,800 before the lockdown. “It takes about 20 days for the eggs to become fully grown silkworms. For the cocoon to form, it takes another two days and we keep them for three more days before taking it to market.” Swamy does not have his own farm to grow mulberry, which is fed to silkworms. “I have to pay Rs 35,000 per year to mulberry farmers,’’ he pointed out.
Silk reelers are also facing difficult times. According to Mohammed Shafi Ahmed, weaving units have shut and hence, the retail outlets too. “We produce 20 kg of silk yarn per month. We used to sell it for Rs 3,500-4,000 per kg, but now the price has dropped to Rs 1,900-2,400 per kg. Only if we get good returns can we can pay the farmers better,’’ he said.
But farmers and reelers are hoping for better days. “Earlier, weavers in India were buying China silk, which costs less but is of inferior quality. Now, the import has been banned. Our silk is of good quality and lasts longer. We hope that after the lockdown, Ramanagara silk will get better value. We are capable of producing better quality silk and competing with Chinese silk if the government gives subsidy to reelers to buy latest machines and encourages farmers,’’ Ahmed added.
I used to sell the cocoons for Rs 650 per kg, but now it is only Rs 325 per kg. I hardly get anything from this. I need to fend for my family and pay wages to my labourers. Hanumanthappa, sericulturist