Srinagar, September 8: A 13-member media delegation from Kerala visited key sericulture institutions in Kashmir on Tuesday as part of a seven-day press tour of Jammu and Kashmir organised by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Kochi.
The delegation visited the Central Sericultural Research and Training Institute (CSR&TI) at Pampore, where journalists interacted with scientists and officials and were briefed on India’s silk industry, ongoing research and the potential for expanding sericulture.
Scientist-D Dr Irfan Illahi explained that India is the world’s second-largest silk producer, while domestic demand for silk continues to remain higher than production. He said the institute was working to bring more farmers into sericulture with the objective of increasing silk production and helping India emerge as the world’s leading silk producer.
The delegation was also informed about the institute’s role as a centre for temperate sericulture, catering to the specific requirements of temperate regions. Officials discussed different varieties of silk produced in India and research projects being undertaken at the institute.
The journalists later visited the institute’s museum, where Gulzar Ahmad Khan explained the history and evolution of sericulture and the various stages involved in silk production.
The delegation subsequently travelled to the P4 Basic Seed Farm at Manasbal. Dr Rajesh Kumar briefed the visitors about silk production and seed development processes.
The visit also highlighted links between sericulture institutions in different parts of the country, with seeds from the Palakkad Seed Centre in Kerala being used for research at the Kashmir institute.
The Kerala delegation is on a press tour of Jammu and Kashmir from September 6 to 12, during which it is scheduled to visit various developmental projects and interact with stakeholders across the Union Territory.
