Iran raw silk cocoon output registers rise this year

A total of 1,700 tons of raw silk cocoons were produced this
spring, registering a major increase compared to previous seasons, according to
the head of Iran Sericulture Expansion Center affiliated with the Agriculture
Ministry.

“Over the past four years, we have
achieved great success in the production of silk cocoons. The output has
increased from 980 tons to 1,720 tons,” Adel Sarvi Zargar was also quoted as
saying. 

Sericulture is now practiced in 27 of Iran’s 31 provinces,
he said.

Over 2 million mulberry cuttings are planted annually across
the country to cultivate silkworm and increase the output of raw silk cocoons.

The mulberry tree is the only food source for the silkworm,
and this worm is only able to produce cocoons by consuming the leaves of this
tree. Silk threads are produced from the cocoon and the resulting fabric has
many benefits because of its softness and delicacy. This makes the cultivation
of mulberry trees essential to sericulture.

In addition to leaves, the mulberry tree has fruits that
contain sugar. These fruits are served both dry and fresh. It is worth
mentioning that the cultivation of this tree through the germination of its
seeds is not ideal and usually the seedling does not possess the
characteristics of the original plant. Unfortunately, most of the mulberry
trees in Iran are cultivated through seed germination. 

In general, there are two types of mulberries, white and
black. Black mulberry trees are not suitable for raising silkworms, but their
seeds are used to graft seedlings of modified species. As a result of this
process, modified trees are cultivated that can grow leaves several times a
year for sericulture.