The private companies export approximately 300 tonnes of silkworm cocoon to China every year, allowing silkworm farmers to increase income and generate foreign revenue, said Daw Moe Moe Win, assistant director of Sericulture Centre in PyinOoLwin. Mulberry is perennial and the related department also provides sericulture courses so that the growers know how to properly rear the silkworms and produce silk.
The export of silkworm cocoons aims to enhance the private sector, income of the silkworm farmers and earn foreign income. The silkworm cocoon is priced at K10,000 per viss (a viss equals 1.6 kilogrammes). “The silkworm cocoon is sent to the domestic silk-reeling factories and silk are on sale under bidding system. Myanmar companies convey dried silkworm cocoons to China.
Earlier, the silkworm cocoon was delivered to China two or three times in December. This year, trade was suspended owing to the preventive measures for the COVID-19. Beyond silkworm production, mulberry cultivation can also produce nutritious mulberry tea leaves, wine and jam as it can bring health benefits,” she explained. Besides Myanmar, sericulture is commonly found in China, India, Viet Nam, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, the Republic of Korea and Japan.
Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar