THE EXPERIENCES AND SUCCESS STORY OF SMT. RAMADEVI, PROGRESSIVE WOMEN SERICULTURIST OF MUNNANGI VILLAGE, KOLLIPARA MANDAL, GUNTUR DISTRICT

(AS WRITTEN TO THE MAGAZINE "PATTUVIGNANAM" PUBLISHED By RSRS,ANANTHAPUR (JULY- SEPTEMBER 2007))

 I am Mrs  Vanga Rama Devi, taken up the Sericulture during the year 2004-05 under CDP programme with the encouragement of Department of Sericulture. I have planted two acres V1 variety Mulberry during July2004 and November2004 at the rate one acre in each month with the spacing of 3’x3’ and (4”+3”) x 2. In the same year  I have constructed rearing shed measuring 80’x40’ size. In the month of  December 2004, I have brushed 100  CSR Hybrid layings and harvested 90 kgs Cocoons on an average. These cocoons were fetched rate Rs. 163/- per kg in Govt. Cocoon Market, Dharmavaram in Anantapur district..

Again  in January2005  I have brushed 100 CB DFLS  and harvested 88 kgs. These cocoons were sold at Govt. cocoon market, Dharmavaram at the  rate of Rs.145 per kg. In the month of March2005 brushed  170 CB layings, but I could harvested only 37 kgs due to crop failure and these cocoons were sold @ Rs. 88/- per kgs in Cocoon Market, Hanuman Junction. In the month of April 2005, only 20 kgs Cocoons were produced from 100 CB layings brushed. These cocoons were purchased by Asst. Director of Sericulture, Guntur with Rs. 120/- per kg. When I was very disappointed due to failure of those 2 crops, Sri Suleman Basha, Asst. Director of Sericulture, Guntur  has encouraged me to continue the activity.

With the encouragement given by the ADS Guntur, I have successfully harvested the following crops with an average yield of 45 kgs per 100 DFLs.. 

In the months November, December, 2005 and January2006, I have brushed 450 Bivoltine layings (C.S.R Hybrids) @ 150 laying per month ( per Batch) and harvested cocoons on an average 41.55 kgs per 100 DFLs.

  I have not lost my confidence in sericulture due to failure of few crops. In fact  I decided to construct one more rearing shed for vermi-compost  production and met the local Canara Bank Manager. He has responded  positively and come forward to provide financial assistance Rs. 2 .00 lakhs for Vermiculture.

In the month of March2006, I constructed  shed  measuring 80’ x 40’  with tin sheets  without surrounding walls. For this purpose I spent Rs.2.00 lakhs. Stitched Gunny bags were hanged around the shed. For conduction of shoot rearing of silk worms, rearing stands were erected in the shed  and for conducting of vermiculture, pits were made beneath the shoot rearing stand. Total 13 pits were arranged in the rearing shed each having size of 2’ depth, 5’ width and 78’ long. In these pits approximately 14 tones of vemi-compost was produced for every 2 moths resulting an additional income of Rs. 1600/-.  To produce the vermin compost  I used  our 8 buffellow’s dung  and Silk worm litter. (Bed refuse).   I could not face any problem to decompose the bed refuse (litter) for a period of 30 days to produce vermin compost. Even   after the disinfection of rearing  shed with  disinfectants i.e Chlorine Dioxide and Sericlore  there is no  problem in the growth of earthworms and production of vermin compost. 

The details of the crops harvested in this rearing shed  is indicated  in the table below.

It may be seen from the above table that I have harvested  on  an average   55 kgs for Bivoltine  Hybrids cocoons and sold with  rate Rs 137/- per Kg, and  whereas for CB cocoons  the  average yield was 66.20 kgs  and rate  Rs. 104/- .

         In one occasion the branch Manager, Canara Bank expressed displeasure for utilizing the finance sanctioned for vermiculture to sericulture. After  that the Regional Manager ,Canara Bank had visited  and expressed his happiness regarding  integration  vermiculture and silk worm rearing and gave  encouragement to me.

             In surrounding villages the main crops are paddy, Turmeric, Plantain, maize and blackgram.  When compared the income from these crops, I get more from sericulture. During this year  I got  Rs. 2,60,000/-  income  from my 2 Acres  Mulberry  garden both from Sericulture and vermiculture.  I got net income of Rs.1.90 lakhs after deducting expenditure Rs 70,000/-.  Due to the application of Vermi-compost and 7 tractor loads of farm yard manure, the usage of Chemical fertilizers was reduced considerably and increased the leaf quality and quantity.

  I have starting Chawkie Rearing Centre  in the month September 2006. Smt C.S. Rama Lakshmi, Commissioner of Sericulture, Andhra Pradesh and  Sri Jammi Venkata Krishna Rao, Scientist-E / Joint Director, Regional  Sericulture  Research Station, Anantapur have inaugurated my Chawkie Rearing Centre on 21-9-2006. I  have allocated ½ Acre of V-1 variety Mulberry garden for  Chawkie  leaf. So far 12,500  CB and Bivoltine Hybrid DFLs were brushed and sold the Chawkie worms @ Rs. 350/- per 100 DFLs as Chawkie charges.

 I  am very confident that the soil fertility will be maintained with the usage of  organic manures. Further I also confident that due to integration of sericulture with Vermi-culture, Small and marginal farmers like me will definitely be benefited.

            I am very much thankful to Sri Suleiman Basha, Asst. Director (s), Sri Rama murthy, Sericulture Officer and Sri Siva Nagi Reddy, Sericulture Supervisor, Guntur.

             My sincere thanks to  Sri Jammi Venkata Krishan Rao, Scientist-E / Joint Director, Regional Sericulture Research Station, CSB, Anantapur in encouraging  me to share my experiences with my co-sericulturists  through this letter and publishing in "Pattu Vignanamu"

Yours Sincerely, 

Vanga  Rama devi,  W/O Sri Vanga Seetha Rama Reddy (Babu)

Munnangi Village,Kollipara  Mandal,Gutur District.

Mobile:9490087839,Phone: 08644-272812