In a bid to infuse a new lease of life into state's age-old sericulture industry,the Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday asked cocoon rearers to take full advantage of welfare schemes floated by the government. Addressing a kissan mela here,Jammu and Kashmir agriculture minister Ghulam Hassan Mir said,"It has been decided to focus on mulberry plantation in a big way,wherever land is available. If a farmer volunteers to plant 300 mulberry plants,he would be given an incentive of Rs 2,200 in addition to free saplings." Today's mela was held after 13 years gap and farmers from across the Valley participated. Expressing his resolve to make agriculture and its allied sectors gainful activity,he said that steps have already been taken for introduction of double cropping and alternative cultivations like apiculture and mushroom cultivation. "This year there has been a good cocoon produce and the average price ranged around Rs 300 per kilogram," he said. He said already two cocoon cluster units have been set up at Nowshehra and Charar- e -Sharief and two more are being set up at Bandipora and Tikri. Mir said if cocoon production increases significantly the state Government would ask the Centre to stop buying silk yarn from China.
