Sericulture remains a vital livelihood source for small and marginal farmers in India, particularly in Tamil Nadu, a leading state in mulberry sericulture. Among the various stages, late-age silkworm rearing comprising the 4th and 5th instars is a critical and resource-intensive phase, contributing over 70% of the total cocoon yield. Despite technical and institutional support from various agencies, farmers face multiple constraints that hinder productivity and profitability during this phase. This study was undertaken to identify and rank the major constraints faced by silkworm rearers in Tamil Nadu using Garrett’s ranking technique. Data were collected from farmers across the region and analyzed under three categories: mulberry cultivation, silkworm rearing, and cocoon marketing. The findings revealed that the top constraints in mulberry cultivation included lack of drought-resistant varieties and labour scarcity. In silkworm rearing, climate change, disease incidence, and inadequate technical guidance were the major impediments. Marketing challenges such as price fluctuation and lack of transport facilities were also significant. The results underline the need for climate-resilient varieties, better extension services, infrastructural support, and marketing interventions to sustain and scale up silkworm farming in Tamil Nadu.
Kalpana et al. (Thu,) studied this question.