Sericulture cluster to come up at Berigai by R Arivanantham

A sericulture cluster will be established at Berigai, near Hosur, with assistance from National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). NABARD will give Rs. 46.94 lakh to the project – Rs. 36.14 lakh as grant and Rs. 10.80 lakh as soft loan. The concept of the project is “soil to silk”. This is the first sericulture cluster project in the state sanctioned by NABARD. The project would be implemented by Hosur-based Sanjeevi Trust, which was instrumental in establishing more than 12 farmers clubs, in three years, NABARD Assistant General Manager V. Thirumalai said. The sericulture cluster villages would include Nerigam, Mudukurukki, Malakalakki, Koolu and Chinnamarandoddi in and around Berigai, Mr. Thirumalai said. As part of this programme, farmers would be given intensive training in cultivation of mulberry, rearing of cocoons with modern technology by establishing chawkee rearing centres.. The project envisages establishment of a Common Facility Centre to run the cluster with artisans identified in the cluster.The cluster farmers numbering 200 have been identified for the intensive training on cultivation of mulberry. The training will help the farmers equip themselves to take over, own and manage the project on their own.