Srinagar, Sept. 09: The second day of the Press Tour of Jammu and Kashmir began with a visit by the 13-member media delegation from Keralam to the Central Sericultural Research and Training Institute, Pampore, where the journalists gained insights into India’s silk production sector and ongoing research initiatives in sericulture.
Dr. Irfan Illahi, Scientist-D at the institute, welcomed the delegation and interacted with the journalists, providing an overview of the silk production sector in India and the initiatives being undertaken to strengthen it.
Highlighting India’s position in the global silk industry, Dr. Illahi said that India is the second-largest producer of silk in the world. However, the demand for silk continues to exceed the country’s current production. He said the institute is working towards increasing the number of farmers engaged in sericulture every year, with the objective of enhancing silk production and helping India emerge as the largest silk producer globally.
Dr. Illahi explained that the institute in Kashmir is known as a temperate sericulture institute and is the only such institute catering to the temperate region. He also spoke about the different varieties of silk produced in India and noted the country’s unique position in the production of Muga silk.
During the interaction, he briefed the delegation about various research projects being undertaken by the institute. He also highlighted the institute’s pioneering efforts in introducing seritourism, combining sericulture awareness with tourism.
The delegation was also informed that seeds from the Palakkad Seed Centre in Kerala are being utilised for research purposes at the institute, reflecting the inter-regional linkages in India’s sericulture research network.
The delegation later visited the institute’s museum, where Gulzar Ahmad Khan took the journalists through the history and evolution of sericulture and explained the different varieties and processes of silk production.
Later in the day, the delegation visited the P4 Basic Seed Farm at Manasbal, where Dr Rajesh Kumar gave further insights into various stages of silk production and seed development. The visit also provided the delegates an opportunity to witness the scenic Manasbal Lake.
