Impact of Technology Adoption on Cocoon Production in Kashmir

Agriculture serves as the backbone of our economy as 70 per cent of the rural population in India is associated with various agriculture based pursuits and one such agricultural based avocation is sericulture. At present, our country produces around 20000 metric tonnes of silk against the consumption of 29000 metric tonnes, thus creating a deficit of 9000 metric tonnes of silk. In Kashmir valley, 900 villages are associated with this industry involving about 7500 families, thus approximately contributing 35 per cent of total production of 830 metric tonnes of cocoon produced in the state of J&K. In the present study, 300 sample respondents were selected from Kupwara, Baramulla, Budgam and Pulwama in equal proportion of Kashmir valley to study the impact of sericultural technologies generated by various research institutes on cocoon production/productivity. 38.00 and 43.00 per cent of respondents belonged to very low and low production category of cocoons, respectively, whileas around 85 per cent respondents harvested below national average of cocoons per ounce.