Sericulture industry – An effective tool for development of drought-Prone areas

Sericulture provides an excellent nexus in promoting integrated development of agriculture and industry and also in transforming a stagnant rural economy into a dynamic and buoyant industrial economy. The role of sericulture in the rural economy can be judged on the following grounds. The data/information in this regard were collected from the authentic records of Joint Director of Sericulture, Chittoor district in the State of Andhra Pradesh. Chittoor has been recognized as a drought-prone district in the Rayalaseema region of the State. More than 70 per cent of the area under mulberry cultivation in the State is found in Rayalaseema, while the rest is almost evenly scattered in the remaining districts of the State.

Sericulture is considered as a boon to many marginal and small farmers in the drought-prone areas like Chittoor district. When compared with the food and other commercial crops, one can aptly emphasise that mulberry cultivation and silkworm rearing are more lucrative to the farmers in the district. Chittoor district occupies the second place in the State of Andhra Pradesh in respect of sericulture industry. The geographic, climatic conditions and soils are conducive for sericulture development in the district. Against this backdrop, a conceivable attempt is made to analytically review the growth and development of sericulture industry in Chittoor district so as to arrive at meaningful inferences

A modest attempt is made in the paper to review analytically the growth and development, problems, challenges of sericulture industry in the Chittoor district. In the light of the conclusions drawn from the study, a few relevant suggestions are offered for placing sericulture industry in the district in right perspective.