Naktideula: Silk farmers in Naktideula area of Sambalpur district have been suffering losses for various factors like fluctuation in climatic conditions and poor silkworm seeds.
They alleged they were provided poor silkworm seeds by the officials of the Tussar Cooperative Society in Rairakhole. Almost all worms have died after a few days of rearing leading to their incurring huge losses this year.
“Our hope for silk harvest and making a good profit from silk farming at the difficult Covid times has vanished. Now our worry is how to manage our families at this time when alternative means of earning are not in sight,” they lamented.
According to farmers, they had got 2 kg of silkworm seeds each September 25 from Rairakhole Tussar Cooperative society. “We invested a lot of money and time in grooming the seeds for 23 days. Our efforts and funds went down the drains as the seeds were sub-standard and they all died. Now we have no alternative at hand” they rued.
There are three types of silkworms such as Tasar, Mulberry and Eri which are cultivated by farmers in Batagan and Jamujori panchayats under this block over years. Sericulture has been their main source of living for them.
“We earn about Rs 10,000 from sericulture. As we have suffered losses this year due to poor seeds, the losses should be compensated,” said farmers like Prabhakar Nayak, Gopinath Nayak and Dhabaleswar Matiari.
Several other farmers like Tarulata Pradhan, Harihar Pradhan, Adhira Pradhan, Rabindra Matiari and Aditya Matiari have demanded compensation for the loss.
They submitted a memorandum to the assistant director of the Deogarh sericulture department through the secretary of the Tussar Cooperative Society.
Several other outfits have demanded a probe into the supply of sub-standard silk worm seeds and action against those involved in this irregularity.
Notably, the central scheme ‘Silk Samagra’ is prevalent in the state since 2018-19 for promoting silk production. Tassar farmers are provided monetary support under the scheme.
Some farmers suggested that the state government should take up several welfare measures like training on sericulture, provision for adequate marketing support, arrangement for field-visits and adequate supply of inputs, in order to make them self-sufficient and strengthen their fiscal standings to promote silk cultivation in the region.
PNN