Raw silk cocoon production is estimated to reach 1,400 tons in the current fiscal year (March 2019-20) to register a 43.15% increase compared with last year, the deputy agriculture minister for livestock affairs said.
“The projected volume will meet 40% of domestic demand for silk," Morteza Rezaei was also quoted as saying by IRNA, adding that "last year (March 2018-19), we met only 28% of demand.
The official said more farmers are turning to sericulture in Iran, in view of its high earning potential, because of which production is expected to grow.
“So far this year, the ministry has distributed more than 32,000 boxes of silkworm eggs. The figure stood at 25,200 boxes for the entire previous year. We predict our distribution of silkworm egg boxes to see 50% growth by the yearend,” he said.
Sericulture is now practiced in 27 of Iran’s 31 provinces.
The import tariff for silk thread increased from 15% to 26% last year (March 2018-19), the former head of Sericulture Expansion Center affiliated with the Ministry of Agriculture said.
“This is while tariff for cocoon imports remains at 5%. This should encourage merchants to import cocoons rather than silk threads, which will in turn help silk factories and workshops that were closed down to get back on their feet,” Ali Asghar Dadashpour was also quoted as saying by Mehr News Agency.
By producing 120 tons of silk per annum, Iran is the world’s eighth biggest country in sericulture, after China, India, Uzbekistan, Thailand, Brazil, Vietnam and North Korea.
Gilan Province in northern Iran accounts for half of raw cocoon production. Khorasan Razavi ranks second, with a 30% share of raw cocoon production.
Other main Iranian provinces where sericulture is practiced are Mazandaran, Golestan, North and South Khorasan, East Azarbaijan and Isfahan.
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