कृषि प्रौद्योगिकी अनुप्रयोग अनुसंधान संस्थान
Agricultural Technology
Application Research Institute

ICAR-ATARI, ZONE-X, HYDERABAD
(ISO 9001:2015)

Sericulture - a boon for a dry land farmer in drought mitigation


Description


Building farm resilience through improved yields: A young farmer shows his improved wheat crop in one of the project districts (Mathura, Uttar Pradesh). Photo: Arun Khatri-Chhetri (CCAFS South Asia).


Sri S.N.Krishna Reddy, aged 58 years is a farmer and resident of village Nandylagudem of Atmakur(S) Mandal in Nalgonda district in Andhra Pradesh. He was earlier growing paddy (0.8ha), rainfed cotton (6.4 ha) and pigeonpea (0.8ha). In 2011 his gross annual income from 8ha of land was Rs.4.41 lakh with a cost of cultivation of Rs. 2.65 lakh. He established a sericulture unit in 2012 after receiving necessary training at KVK, Nalgonda (Gaddipally). The size of the unit established is 50âx22’x15â and mulberry cultivation was taken up in 0.8ha with drought tolerant variety S-13. KVK SMS (Sericulture) helped the farmer in developing linkage with Andhra Pradesh Sericulture Department and getting a subsidy of Rs.1.0 lakh and also provided good quality chalky from KVK and timely advisories for making the enterprise successful.


He reared 1950 dfls per year and harvested 7 crops in a year with an average yield of 80 kg cocoons per 100 dfls and the total cocoon harvested was 1615 kg. He incurred an expenditure of Rs.84,000 and earned a net income of Rs.4,21,893 per annum exclusively from sericulture enterprise in spite of severe drought prevailing in sounding areas. Besides sericulture in 0.8ha he grew rainfed cotton, pigeonpea, and paddy crops in 7.2 ha land. The total net income of the farmer was Rs.6.51 lakh from 8 ha including sericulture during 2012-13..


Sri. Krishna Reddy found that sericulture is more remunerative than agriculture and horticulture as mulberry could survive under severe drought conditions during the year 2012-13 and gave more income than any other crop. His son who is an unemployed graduate is assisting him in managing the enterprise and only two labour are engaged for rearing and cocoon harvesting. By seeing his income from sericulture enterprise, 10 farmers have established sericulture enterprise in their villages. Sri. Krishna Reddy has received the Best Sericulture Farmer Award from the District Collector during the year 2012-13 on the occasion of Ugadi Purskaramlu (Telugu new year day).


Detail crop wise Cocoon Production 2012-13

Crop No No.of Dfls Brushed Cocoons harvested (Kg.) Rate(Rs./kg) Bonus(Rs./kg) Amount realized (Rs.)
1 300(B.V) 258 270 40.00 79,980.00
2 300(B.V) 231 225 40.00 61,215.00
3 250(B.V) 209 265 40.00 63,745.00
4 250(B.V) 203 400 seed 81,299.00
5 300(B.V) 250 306 40.00 86,500.00
6 300(B.V) 274 300 40.00 92,304.00
7 250(C.B) 190 215 - 40,850.00
Total 1,950 1,615 - - 5,05,893.00

Building farm resilience through improved yields: A young farmer shows his improved wheat crop in one of the project districts (Mathura, Uttar Pradesh). Photo: Arun Khatri-Chhetri (CCAFS South Asia)