An economic analysis of mulberry cultivation and cocoon production in non-traditional area

Abstract

Sericulture is a farm based, labor intensive and economic activity supporting farm families and cottage and small scale sector. Being one of the important sector in Indian economy it checks poverty and migration. Sericulture involves a series of activities like mulberry cultivation, cocoon production, silk reeling and the products in different forms. Sericulture is not only limited to the few areas where it is been intensively practiced called traditional areas but also for non-traditional areas. This study aims to know the profitability of mulberry cultivation and cocoon production by using primary data collected from 120 farmers of North Karnataka, India. The cost of mulberry cultivation per acre worked out to be 12699.82/-for rearing 300 Disease Free Laying (DFL's) of which 77.95 per cent is composed of variable component mainly human labour and the rest is fixed component. The gross returns on selling of mulberry leaves and stalks amounts 9472.91/-. So it is not profitable to cultivate mulberry for selling leaves instead one could rear the silkworm by purchasing leaves, but availability of mulberry leaves during all times is not assured. The cost of rearing 100 DFL's is worked out to be 33738.84/-and returns amounts 38604.96/-with a marginal net returns of 4866.12/-. The lower net returns attributed to lower prices due to poor established markets in non-traditional areas and low productivity (cocoon yield per 100 DFL's) i.e. 59.02 kg compared to traditional areas i.e. 90.00 kg.