The Central Silk Board (CSB) has drawn up plans to push up silk production in Orissa. Tasar silkworm is cultivated in 13 districts in Orissa involving tribal farmers with a nominal investment on seed. 15,000 hectare of natural forests and about 6,000 economic plantation are being used in the state for tasar farming by engaging around 50,000 tribals.
Statistics show the production of tasar declined to 13.66 lakh dfls (disease free layings) in 2006-07 from 20.49 lakh dfls in 2002-03. The state consumes about 12.68 lakh dfls and produces 306.07 lakh cocoons. The CSB has introduced mulberry sericulture on an experimental basis prior to the seventh plan at Pottangi of Korapur district. During 1986-87, a special bivoltine project was implemented in Chandragiri. Subsequently, the National Sericulture Project has been implemented. This helped in the creation of 2,000 acre of mulberry plantation with about 2,500 beneficiaries. By the end of 1992, the production stood at 50 tonne of cocoons and the trend continued up to 2001-02. CSB officials said the mulberry reeling cocoon production declined to 20.15 tonne in 2006-07 from 40 tonne in 2002-03. Factors for decline in production include poor soil fertility, lack of irrigation, acidic soil moisture stress, lack of marketing facilities, and constraint of multiple crops in rainfed condition.
In the Tenth Plan, the state has implemented a number of schemes with an outlay of Rs 24.5 crore that helped the farmers to strengthen infrastructure. But a majority of the farmers are small and marginal with poor economical conditions and small land holding capacity. Thus plans are afoot to intensify beneficiary mobilisation for better adoption of technologies and extending timely services.