The season of growing silkworm cocoons has kicked off in Turkmenistan. In the villages of Lebap velayat, the major producer of cocoons in the country, grains (silkworm eggs) were distributed to households of cotton growers.
According to correspondents of “Chronicles of Turkmenistan”, five grams of grains per hectare of leased land are distributed to the cotton growers.
This year the target for silkworm cocoons is a total of 2300 tons, 300 tons in Akhal velayat, 50 tons in Balkan velayat, 500 tons in Dashoguz velayat, 1010 tons in Lebap velayat and 440 tons in Mary velayat.
Previously the national target for silkworm cocoons in Turkmenistan was 2100 tons.
Cotton growers are obliged to grow cocoons under the threat of having their plots of land confiscated. Cocoons need to be handed over by 20 May but it is not yet known what price the joint stock company “Türkmen ýüpek” (“Turkmen silk”) will offer.
Support staff of rural schools, including cleaners, boiler operators, guards and gardeners are also engaged in cocoon production. This year it is forbidden to use child labour. Teachers had previously urged schoolchildren to bring mulberry tree leaves, food for silkworms, to school every day
A few days ago Deputy Prime Minister overseeing agriculture Esenmyrat Orazgeldiev informed President Serdar Berdymukhammedov that grains of silkworms were being distributed to silk growers across Turkmen velayats. The head of state approved the cocoon production plan.
As previously reported, because of the low prices established by the government it is not profitable to grow silkworms and therefore, there are no farmers willing to do so.
For this reason employees of rural schools and land tenants growing cotton and wheat are obliged to grow cocoons.According to “Chronicles of Turkmenistan”, only 30% of the cocoon target was achieved in 2020.The post Сotton producers are again obliged to grow silkworm cocoons; otherwise their plots may be confiscated first appeared on Chronicles of Turkmenistan.