Mulberry Sericulture (Silk Farming) Farming in India 2026
Grow mulberry, rear silkworms and earn from cocoons in a short repeating cycle
Overview
Mulberry sericulture is the rearing of the silkworm Bombyx mori on mulberry leaves to produce cocoons that are reeled into mulberry silk, the finest and most produced silk in India. The farmer first raises a mulberry plantation, then rears worms indoors in a rearing house through a cycle of about four to five weeks from egg to cocoon. Because the crop cycle is short and repeats several times a year, sericulture gives frequent income and supports family labour, especially women. India is the second largest silk producer in the world, and mulberry silk dominates national output, with Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal as major states. The activity needs steady leaf supply, clean rearing space and disciplined hygiene to avoid worm diseases. Income depends on cocoon yield and quality, leaf availability and market rates at cocoon markets, so figures vary and should be treated as indicative.
Climate
Mulberry grows well in warm humid to subtropical climates with temperatures roughly between 24 and 30 degrees Celsius and moderate humidity, which also suit silkworm rearing. Worms are sensitive to extreme heat, cold and very dry or very wet air, so the rearing house must be ventilated and, where needed, cooled or humidified. Mulberry can be grown under irrigation in many agro climatic zones, allowing multiple rearings a year in the plains and fewer in cooler hill areas. Stable mild conditions during rearing give healthier worms and better cocoons.
Soil
Mulberry prefers deep, well drained, fertile loamy soil with good organic matter and a near neutral pH, and tolerates a range of soils if drainage is good. The plantation is established from cuttings or saplings at planting spacing suited to irrigated or rainfed conditions, and is pruned regularly to flush tender leaves. Apart from the field, you need a separate clean rearing house with rearing trays or shoot rearing racks, mountages or chandrike for spinning, and disinfection equipment. Keep the rearing house away from dust, smoke and pesticide drift, and ensure it can be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between batches.
Planting & Spacing
Begin by establishing a mulberry plantation and waiting for it to yield enough leaf before large scale rearing, often a few months after planting. Take training from the Central Silk Board, a state sericulture department or a chawki rearing centre. Buy disease free layings of silkworm eggs from an authorised grainage, and ideally source young worms reared to the third stage from a chawki rearing centre, which greatly improves survival. Disinfect the rearing house before each batch, give chopped tender leaf to young worms and mature leaf or shoots to grown worms, and provide mountages when worms are ready to spin. Start with a small number of disease free layings to learn the cycle before scaling.
Varieties
The silkworm is the mono voltine to multi voltine Bombyx mori, and farmers usually rear improved bivoltine or cross breed hybrids supplied as disease free layings for better cocoon quality and silk recovery. On the plant side, high yielding mulberry varieties released by research institutes, such as the widely grown V1 variety in south India, give more leaf per unit area and support more rearings. The choice of worm race and mulberry variety is guided by local climate, irrigation and the advice of the state sericulture department or Central Silk Board. Always use certified disease free layings rather than saving eggs from your own cocoons.
Care & Management
Hygiene is the heart of successful rearing. Disinfect the house, trays and equipment before every batch, wash hands, and keep beds clean and the right size. Feed fresh leaf of the right maturity several times a day, maintain proper temperature and humidity, and space worms as they grow to prevent overcrowding. Remove sick or dead worms at once and apply recommended bed disinfectants. Provide clean dry mountages at spinning time and a quiet undisturbed environment for cocoon formation. Manage the mulberry field with timely pruning, manure and irrigation so leaf supply matches each rearing.
Pests & Diseases
Silkworm diseases are the biggest risk and spread fast in dirty crowded rearing rooms. Major diseases include pebrine, a spore disease controlled only by using disease free layings, plus grasserie, flacherie and the fungal muscardine. The uzi fly is a serious pest whose maggots kill worms, managed with nets and traps and recommended controls. Prevention rests on strict disinfection, good ventilation, correct bed hygiene and prompt removal of infected worms. On the mulberry side, leaf spot, root rot and sucking pests can reduce leaf quality, so manage the plantation well and never feed pesticide contaminated leaf to worms.
Yield & Harvest
Worms stop feeding, turn translucent and climb the mountages to spin cocoons over a few days. Cocoons are harvested about a week after spinning, cleaned of floss and graded, then sold quickly at cocoon markets or to reelers before they dry out. Cocoon yield per 100 disease free layings varies widely with race, season and management, commonly cited in a range of about 50 to 80 kg per 100 layings for good rearings. With several rearings a year, the same plantation and house produce repeated cocoon crops. Quality, judged by shell ratio and reelability, strongly affects price, so good rearing pays off.
Cost & Profit
Initial costs include establishing the mulberry plantation, building and equipping a rearing house, and disinfectants, while each batch needs disease free layings, labour and leaf. Because cocoons are produced several times a year, sericulture gives frequent cash flow, and the plantation and house are reused for years. Returns depend on cocoon yield, shell quality and the rate at the cocoon market, which moves with silk demand. Sourcing young worms from chawki centres reduces losses and improves returns. Avoid promoters offering fixed high cocoon buy back, since actual prices depend on quality and market and can fall as well as rise.
These are indicative ranges. Actual cost and income vary by region, market and management, so verify locally.
Market & Demand
Cocoons are sold at government regulated cocoon markets to reelers, or directly to reeling units and cooperatives, with prices set by quality and demand for raw silk. Some farmers move up the chain into reeling raw silk for higher value, which needs extra skill and equipment. Demand for silk comes from the handloom and powerloom weaving sector, garment makers and the strong domestic market for traditional silk sarees and fabrics. Joining a cooperative or producer group helps with collective sale, grading and access to better buyers. Keep an eye on cocoon market trends and time rearings to favourable seasons.
Subsidy & Support
The main support is the Silk Samagra scheme, currently Silk Samagra 2, an integrated sericulture development programme of the Central Silk Board under the Ministry of Textiles, implemented with state sericulture departments. It assists mulberry plantation with improved varieties, irrigation, chawki rearing centres, rearing equipment and houses, and post cocoon facilities such as reeling units. Assistance is usually on a shared cost project basis with eligibility conditions, so check current guidelines. NABARD supports bankable sericulture projects and credit, and state schemes may add help for rearing houses and equipment. Confirm the latest terms with the Central Silk Board or your district sericulture office before investing.
Where to grow it in India
Frequently asked questions
How long is one silkworm rearing cycle?
Why must I use disease free layings?
What is a chawki rearing centre?
Do I need separate space for rearing?
How much cocoon can I expect per batch?
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