Sustainable rearing of Eri silkworm (Samiaricini) in Bishnupur district of Manipur

The research was to analyse the sustainability of rearing Eri silkworm. The study was carried out in two blocks and five selected villages of Bishnupur district of Manipur with purposive sampling method. One hundred respondents were interviewed. The majority of the farmers took agriculture as their primary occupation also rearing livestock. Marketing of Eri-silk cocoon was disposed through a single marketing channel, Channel-I, Government procured cocoons from the farmers. On an average, the cocoon produced per 100 dfls was 80kgs, 85 kgs and 90 kgs for marginal, small and semi-medium farm categories, respectively. The price of the Eri was fixed by the state department viz; Rs 150 per kg of cocoon. The total cost of Eri-silk cocoon production was highest in semi-medium farm category Rs 8530 per 100 dfls. The highest gross and net returns realized from Eri-silk were found in semi-medium farm category Rs 13,500 and Rs 4,970 respectively. The major constraints faced by them during its production and marketing were lack of knowledge and non-availability of market in the locality, followed by lack of organization, absence of market information, etc.