Socio-economic Analysis among the Sericulture Farmers in H. D. Kote taluk, Mysuru District of Karnataka state

Sericulture, the agro based avocation which provides livelihood opportunity to 8.7 million people in the country besides earning foreign exchange. Sericulture is a labour intensive, profitable with very low input that gives a regular income to the farmers’. Socio-economic factors play an important role in determining the economic status, knowledge and adoption levels of sericulture technologies for production of mulberry and cocoons. An investigation has been conducted to know the socio-economic condition of sericulture farmers in Mysuru district of Karnataka state, India. Majority of the farmers belong to middle age group (above 31-50 years) (46.6%) and very few farmers belong to young age (16.6%). In respect of education level, majority of the farmers belong to illiterate group (25.00%) and some farmers had college level of education (graduate and above) (15.00%). Family size of farmers were grouped into three categories namely small (2-4 members) medium (5-8 members) and large (8 and above) majority of the respondent farmers possess medium family size (45%) and few farmers holds large family (15.00%). With regards to bank loans majority (80%) of the silkworm rearers have taken band loans. . it is observed that most of the seri-farmers reared double hybrids (95%). And coming to the number of crop per year shows that 45%of farmers were producing 5-8 crops per year. and of average dfl’s/ crop majority of the farmers 55%were rearing less than 100 dfl’s. and coming for average cocoon yield for 100 dfl’s 48.3% produced about 85-100Kg of cocoons . With regards to decision making ability Majority (71.6%) of the respondents had medium level of decision making ability, The study indicates that Sericulture can come out as the most vital opening, in generating income among the farmers in rural areas. Most of the farmers involved in sericultural activities have minimum educational qualification, so government and state sericulture department can organize effective training and development activities along with the line departments to uplift socio-economic status of the seri farmers in rural areas.