In Mysuru: Construction of permanent cocoon market begins in June

Mysuru: Construction of a permanent building for a cocoon market in Mysuru will begin in June. Although the state govt announced the facility in the 2025–26 Budget, the project was delayed due to land identification, its transfer to the sericulture department, and other procedural issues.The project has been taken up due to the increasing arrival of cocoons at the Mysuru APMC market.With all hurdles related to the commissioning of the project now cleared — including the transfer of 2.18 acres of land identified near Hosahundi, close to the APMC premises at Bandipalya — the department of sericulture has announced that construction of the market building will commence in June.The state govt had proposed setting up a high-tech cocoon market under a NABARD scheme in the 2025-26 budget, as the existing facility at Bandipalya, established by the sericulture department on a rented plot measuring 80 x 37 feet in 2019, is struggling to handle the growing volume of arrivals. The current facility can handle only two to three tonnes of cocoons per day.The space has also become highly congested due to increased cocoon arrivals following govt initiatives to promote sericulture under various schemes in the district. Mysuru and Chamarajanagar, once renowned for sericulture, are witnessing a revival, with the area under cultivation expanding steadily. Cocoon production and market arrivals have increased every year, with arrivals at the Mysuru APMC market doubling over the past seven years.About 36,731 farmers are engaged in sericulture across nearly 14,000 hectares, including 4,000 hectares in Mysuru district alone.In view of the demand for a high-tech cocoon market, state govt approved the project at an estimated cost of Rs 20 crore and accorded both administrative and financial sanctions. The project is being implemented in the home district of chief minister Siddaramaiah and sericulture minister K Venkatesh.Deputy director of sericulture R Nagendrappa said all impediments to the construction had been cleared and the land transfer completed. Following directions from district nodal secretary and senior IAS officer R Selvakumar to expedite the project, the sericulture department has begun ground preparations and plans to start construction in June after obtaining the remaining approvals."The new high-tech market will have facilities such as restrooms, overnight accommodation for farmers from other districts, cold storage, dedicated staff, CCTV surveillance, electronic weigh scales, live e-auctions and digital payment systems," Nagendrappa said.He added that the new market will benefit both reelers and farmers involved in silk production and will be capable of handling six to nine tonnes of cocoon arrivals per day once operational.Welcoming the project, Attahalli Devaraj, district organising secretary of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, said the market would promote open auctions of both bivoltine and multivoltine silk cocoons, support the local silk industry, and boost production. He urged the sericulture department to complete the project within the stipulated deadline for the benefit of both farmers and reelers.