Procurement of Kosa Cocoon Under Silk Mission in Bastar | 10 May 2022

Why in News?

On May 9, 2022, an order was issued by the Chhattisgarh State Minor Forest Produce Association to purchase cocoons at the minimum support price from the current year through the Minor Forest Produce Association.

Key Points

• It is worth mentioning that Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, in the budget speech of the current financial year, had announced to start the Silk Mission in the interest of tribal-forest farmers engaged in silkworm rearing and cocoon production in Bastar division.
• The purchase rate has been fixed by the Chhattisgarh State Minor Forest Produce Association for collection on its support price in Bastar division.
• With this important decision of the government, now the local residents will get the double benefit of production and processing of kosa cocoons.
• Sanjay Shukla, Managing Director, State Minor Forest Produce Association informed that MoU has been signed between State Minor Forest Produce Association and Silk Directorate to increase employment at the local level by increasing the local processing of kosa cocoons in the state.
• According to this MoU, the cocoons purchased by the Minor Forest Produce Association will be provided to the Silk Department.
• By selecting 740 beneficiaries in Bastar division by the Silk Department, training in silk threading has also been started.
• Significantly, 8 to 10 crore rally cocoons are produced in the state. Rally kosa collection is mainly done in 7 district unions Jagdalpur, Dantewada, Sukma, Kondagaon, Keshkal, Narayanpur and Kanker.