![]() ![]() Silk production is a lengthy process that requires close monitoring. Silk is a delicately woven product made from the protein fibers of the silkworm cocoon. Watching silk worms eat and live and spin their cocoons is one of the things tourists enjoy doing during a silk factory tour. It is now a luxury good and is much less important a good than in the past. In recent times, the invention of efficient techniques for producing cotton cloth and then the invention of synthetic polymers such as nylon and polyester greatly reduced the demand for silk. Silk cultivation spread to Japan about 300 AD, and by the year 520, Europeans and Arabs started to manufacture silk. Silk was also used for a number of other applications including luxury writing material. Common people were prohibited from wearing silk. Silk garments were worn by emperors and royalty, and it was a status symbol. Anyone found smuggling silkworm eggs, cocoons, or mulberry seeds was put to death. It might have been one of the most zealously guarded secrets in history. It is thought that silk was exported along the Silk Road routes by about 400 BC or so, and after this, though silk became highly esteemed, the various kingdoms and imperial dynasties kept secret the methods of silk production for another thousand years. This gives them time to learn and adopt mitigation measures, the study added.The Silk Road was guarded by the Great Wall. Sericulturists usually invest in the sector for long term, with the study stating that 47% of the farmers were practising it for 10 years. The next step is to assess the impact on the sector by changes in environment in the future,” he said. Unlike the agriculture sector, technology’s role is more pronounced here. However, I would reiterate that technology will continue to play a significant role. ![]() “There is no question that rising temperatures and rainfall will have an impact on sericulture. Though the seven zones contribute less to the total production, the negative regression values in the seven zones indicate the difficulties faced by sericulture. Even then, zonal variations show that climate change poses significant challenges,” he said. “Technology has helped farmers to take mitigation measures to avoid stress. Rajendra Mundur, a retired senior scientist of the institute who worked as a consultant for the study, noted that since sericulture is a human-oriented biological activity, interventions at multiple stages have cushioned the climate impact. It managed to reach 26,608 tonnes last year. For instance, data shows mulberry cultivation here dropped from 71,970 hectares in 1991 to 19,747 hectares in 2020.Ĭocoon production, which had increased to 67,077 tonnes, fell to less than 10,000 tonnes in the following years. “The seven zones are very much affected by environmental conditions,” the study said.Įven within the three zones, high volatility was seen in the Southern Dry Zone comprising Mysuru, Kodagu, Chamarajanagar and Mandya. Scientists looked at 30 years of cocoon production and mulberry cultivation and found that while the production in the three zones has largely stabilised, the remaining seven zones were seeing a slow and steady decline. Over the years, changes in technology, improvement in the breed (race) of silkworms, rearing technology, new mulberry varieties and other factors have helped in the production. However, 95% of the cocoons produced in the state come from three zones: Eastern Dry Zone (61.84%), Southern Dry Zone (25.68%) and Central Dry Zone (7.68%). Zones that are prone to environmental conditions might face problems, says the study that tried to understand the impact of climate change on silk production and assess adaptation/mitigation technologies. Rainfall and higher temperatures will have a significant impact on the state’s sericulture sector in the coming years, says a study by the Karnataka State Sericulture Research and Development Institute (KSSRDI).
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