KVIC purchases cocoon worth over Rs 40 lakh from Tamil Nadu farmers amid lockdown

The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) in collaboration with its Khadi Institutions (KIs) in Tamil Nadu purchased 9,500 kgs of cocoon worth over Rs 40 lakh directly from the farmers.

The KVIC is a statutory body under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME). It may get the permission to purchase another 8,000 kg cocoon soon.

The move is aimed at ensuring the continuous supply of cocoons to the khadi institutions involved in the production of silk.

The farmers in the country have been adversely affected due to the coronavirus outbreak.

A cocoon has a life of five days and if not steamed within that period, the larvae come out of it. And the cut cocoons cannot be used for reeling the silk yarn. And with such constraints, it becomes difficult for the farmers to sell the crop.

VK Saxena, Chairman, KVIC, said: "The farmers are struggling because of the lockdown. Since we have now purchased cocoons worth Rs 40 lakh directly from the farmers, it must have benefitted them. And in return, the KIs also got raw material on time."

"We buy silk cocoons from the state government regulated sericulture markets only. However, this time permission was required from the district administration and from the sericulture department for the direct purchase from the farmers," he added.

The KVIC will also purchase another 8000 kg cocoon directly from the farmers soon.

The country is under a lockdown till May 3, which was imposed last month to contain the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus.

The total number of cases in Tamil Nadu so far is 1,683, including 908 active cases and 20 deaths, said the state's Health Department. The number of COVID-19 patients discharged following treatment in the state till now is 752.

Two people died in the state on Thursday due to COVID-19, the Health Department added.

( With inputs from ANI )