A total of 1,750 tons of raw silk cocoons are estimated to be produced in spring (started March 21), from which 285 tons of silk threads will be produced, according to the head of Iran Sericulture Expansion Center affiliated with the Agriculture Ministry.
“Adding the autumn production to this figure, the overall production will supply 55% of the domestic carpet and textile demand for silk. This is while the figure stood at 48% last year, up from 42% the year before.” Adel Sarvi Zargar was also quoted as saying by IRNA.
Local production met only 28% of the domestic demand over 2018-19.
The official noted that 31,000 boxes of silkworm eggs have so far will be distributed among local silk farmers across Iran’s 31 provinces and the figure will increase to 49,000 boxes by the end of the season.
“Distribution started on March 25 in warmer provinces and will gradually continue to include other provinces as the weather grows warmer,” he said.
Each box weighs around 13 grams and contains about 24,000 eggs, each of which will evolve into a silkworm, if the rearing processes are carried out properly.
Zargar said that last year, imports of silk thread declined by 73% compared with the year before.
“Our domestic demand for the product stands at 540-550 tons per year and we need to increase annual raw silk cocoon production to around 3,500 tons to become self-sufficient in the field,” he said.
“Two years ago, about 25,000 Iranian households were active in sericulture but due to the reasonable prices of raw silk cocoons, more people are showing interest in the business and the figure increased to 29,000 households in the last fiscal year.”
According to the official, around 46,502 boxes of silkworm eggs were distributed among local silk farmers last year (up 17% YOY), from which a total of 1,678 tons of raw silk cocoons were produced, showing a 21% rise compared with the year before. The figure broke a 12-year record.
“Guaranteed purchase price for raw silk cocoon increased by 56% last year (March 2020-21) to 335,000 rials (around $1.5) per kilogram,” Zargar was quoted as saying by Mehr News Agency.
Gilan Province in northern Iran is the country’s main hub for raw cocoon production, accounting for 32% of Iran's sericulture output. Khorasan Razavi, Golestan, North Khorasan and Mazandaran follow Gilan in a descending order.
Zargar noted that at present, Iran’s silk production ranks eighth worldwide.
The world's biggest silk producers are China, India, Uzbekistan, Thailand, Brazil, Vietnam and North Korea.
Ali Asghar Dadashpour, the former head of Iran Sericulture Expansion Center, has told Financial Tribune in an interview that 90% of the silk produced from domestic cocoons are used in the weaving of delicate hand-woven Persian rugs.
