Influence of Covid-19 Peak Period on Sericulture Farmers, Reelers, Weavers and Traders.

Abstract

India is an ancient country to establish sericulture industry and it manufactures and even exports the tasar cloth (Kosa) to various countries since several centuries prior to the B.C. During the second century B.C., the silk was exported from India to European countries. It has been studied that the production of tasar silk was much more than that of mulberry silk during the Mughal period1.India is unique in producing all four commercial silk varieties viz. Mulberry, Tasar, Eri and Muga. Sericulture is well-established agro-cottage industry and suited to rural-based farmers with a good cost-benefit ratio. It provides employment to six million rural populations. Covid-19 was caused by the novel corona virus and was first identified in Wuhan, China. This disease is transmitted through direct contact with the respiratory droplets of infected person, especially when the person coughs and sneezes. Covid-19 has led to a huge loss of human life, food system, millions of agricultural workers had gone through working poverty, mal nutrition and poor health. The Covid -19 crisis has created a dire impact on the complete world. The Lockdown declared by Government had an awful impact on the financial growth and development of every individual. The sericulture sector has also vouched such condition. The sericulture farmers, reelers, weavers and traders have to face various issues like marketing of cocoons, silk, its products, non availability of vehicles for transportation, non availability of the workers from sericulture sector, problems regarding hard currency flow. During pre Covid-19 period the average selling price of cocoon was 400 Rs/Kg while the price during Covid-19 period was Rs. 200/Kg. This paper helps to study the impact on Covid-19 peak period on the livelihood of sericulture farmers, reelers, weavers and traders. Different activities involved in sericulture were affected by pandemic. Due to difficulty in import and export of silk and other related materials, Government has to be self reliant for the production.