Departmental Units

Sericulture activities are monitored through five regional offices located at Erode, Dharmapuri, Vellore, Trichy and Madurai. There are 19 Assistant Directors in the State to look after mulberry extension and related works. One Deputy Director at Hosur assisted by 5 Assistant Directors is in-charge of silkworm seed coordination activity. To transact the raw silk which is produced in the State, Government Anna Silk Exchange is functioning at Kancheepuram, with a branch at Salem. A State level training institute is functioning at Hosur headed by a Deputy Director. This Institute provides training to the Sericulturists and department staff under various schemes.



Silkworm Seed Production Units

The basic seed cocoons produced from the seed farms of the Department are used for production of commercial silkworm layings for supplying it to the farmers. The Department has 19 seed farms involved in the maintenance of three tier system of silkworm seed production for the supply of basic seed for commercial seed production meant for sericulture farmers.

Seed Farms
DistrictAsst. DirectorS NoSeed Farm Name
Krishnagiri Avalapalli 1 Berigai
2 Avalapalli
3 Hosur
Kalkondapalli 4 Kalkondapalli
5 Thally
Uddanapalli 6 Uddanapalli
7 Ulimangalam
8 Melagiri
Kollatti 9 Kollatti
Salem Salem 10 Yercaud
Erode Talavady 11 Hassanur
Madhahalli 12 Madhahalli
Tirupattur Tiruvannamalai 13 Athanavoor
Namakkal Namakkal 14 Kolli Hills
Theni Theni 15 Mayiladumparai
Tenkasi Tenkasi 16 Shenkottai
The Nilgiris Coonoor 17 Coonoor
18 Masinagudi
19 Masakkal

Grainages

The silkworm seed production centres known as grainages are playing a vital role for the development of Sericulture. Disease free silkworm layings are being produced and supplied to the Sericulture farmers by the following 11 State Government grainages and two Central Silk Board run National Silkworm Seed Organization (NSSO) grainages.

DistrictAsst. DirectorS NoName of the Grainage
Krishnagiri Hosur (Grainage) 1 Hosur CB
Hosur CSR
Krishnagiri (Grainage) 2 Krishnagiri
Dharmapuri Dharmapuri 3 Sogathur
Pennagaram 4 Pennagaram
Coimbatore Coimbatore 5 Coimbatore
Erode Erode 6 Erode
Talavady 7 Talavady
Tirupattur Vaniyambadi 8 Vaniyambadi
Trichy Trichy 9 Trichy
Dindigul Dindigul 10 Dindigul
Tenkasi Tenkasi 11 Courtallam


Multi-graded Cold Storage Units

Silkworm is classified into uni, bi and multivoltine i.e., single generation in a year, two generations in a year and many generations in a year respectively. Normally, the egg hatches within 10-11 days in multivoltine eggs and about 6-10 months in bi_ and univoltine eggs. Bivoltine Sericulture is largely practiced by Sericulture farmers in Tamil Nadu. More than 90% of farmers in Tamil Nadu rear bivoltine silkworms. Bivoltine silkworm completes two generations in a year. The Bivoltine silkworm eggs are preserved in the cold storage unit at various temperature levels ranging from 2.5C to 25C for pre-determined period of 120-300 days for breaking the diapause condition of eggs, so as to release them after four, six and ten months for distribution to the farmers. To reap successful silkworm crops, it is most important to give maximum care during the preservation of eggs. To preserve and supply the bivoltine eggs throughout the year, three multi-graded cold storage units are functioning at Krishnagiri and Hosur in Krishnagiri district and chinnavedanpatti in coimbatore district.

Bivoltine hybrid silkworm eggs produced by the Coimbatore, Erode, Talavady, Hosur, Krishnagiri, Pennagaram, Dharmapuri and Vaniyambadi grainages are preserved in the multi-graded cold storage units under four, six and ten months preservation schedule with utmost care and supplied to the Sericulture farmers.


Technical Service Centers

To provide technical assistance to Sericulture farmers in mulberry cultivation, garden maintenance, silkworm rearing and crop protection measures at their doorsteps, 105 Technical Service Centres are functioning in the State. Each Technical Service Centre is headed by an Assistant Inspector / Inspector of Sericulture with 5-6 Junior Inspectors of Sericulture to cater the needs of Sericulture farmers.


RegionDistrictS NoAssistant DirectorNo of TSC
Dharmapuri Krishnagiri 1 Hosur 7
2 Denkanikottai 6
3 Krishnagiri 4
Dharmapuri 4 Dharmapuri 4
5 Pennagaram 6
Erode Salem 6 Salem 7
Coimbatore 7 Coimbatore 4
Tiruppur 8 Udumalpet 5
Erode 9 Erode 7
10 Talavady 3
The Nilgiris 11 Coonoor 1
Vellore Vellore 12 Vaniyambadi 8
Tirupattur
Ranipet
Thiruvallur
Kancheepuram
Chengalpattu
Tiruvannamalai 13 Tiruvannamalai 6
and Hills of Tirupattur District
Villupuram 14 Villupuram 4
Kallakurichi
Cuddalore
Trichy Trichy 15 Trichy 8
Pudukottai
Ariyalur
Tiruvarur
Thanjavur
Perambalur
Nagapattinam
Namakkal 16 Namakkal 7
Karur
Madurai Dindigul 17 Dindigul 6
Sivagangai
Theni 18 Theni 5
Madurai
Ramanathapuram
Tenkasi 19 Tenkasi 7
Tirunelveli
Virudhunagar
Thoothukudi
Kanyakumari
Total 105


Government Silk Farms

There are 32 Government silk farms functioning under the Department. They are, 6 Demonstration Cum Training Centres,7 Government Hybrid Silk Farms, 5 Model Mulberry plantations, 10 Farmers Training Centres and 4 Chawkie Rearing Centres. These farms are used as demonstration cum training centres and also supply quality mulberry saplings and chawkie silkworms to the needy farmers.


Chawkie Rearing Centres

'Chawkie rearing' means rearing of young silkworms from hatching to second moult for 7 days. The centres performing rearing and supply of chawkie worms to the farming community is called as ‘Chawkie Rearing Centres’. Chawkie rearing requires special care in maintaining hygiene inside rearing room and favourable climatic conditions supplemented by feeding good quality leaves. Separate mulberry garden with specific fertilizer recommendation and pruning schedule are required and utmost care is taken during the larval period in chawkie rearing centres. The concept of chawkie rearing is one of the main factors for successful bivoltine Sericulture in the State. Four Government farms are exclusively functioning as Chawkie silk farms for supply of quality chawkie silkworms to the needy farmers.


Government Seed Cocoon Markets

Local and Bivoltine Seed cocoons produced by the rearers are transacted in seed markets and supplied to grainages for commercial silkworm seed production. Three seed cocoon markets are functioning to transact the seed cocoons each at Hosur, Denkanikottai and Coimbatore. 0.75% of cocoon transaction value is collected as levy from sellers and buyers.


Government Cocoon Markets

The department has established 20 cocoon markets in various districts of the State for enabling the farmers to transact the cocoons they produce. A committee consisting of buyers (reelers) and sellers (farmers) helps in fixing fair price for cocoon every day. The market staff facilitates open auction and reelers are allowed to bid and procure the cocoons.0.75% of cocoon transaction value is collected as levy from sellers and buyers. Of these 20 markets, three markets at Pudukottai, Sivagangai and Nagercoil are functioning as Market - cum - Reeling Units, where the cocoons are procured for Government reeling unit, when there is no participation of private reelers in auctioning, so as to protect the farmers’ interest.


DistrictAsst. DirectorS NoName of the Cocoon Markets
Krishnagiri Hosur 1 Hosur
Krishnagiri 2 Krishnagiri
Dharmapuri Pennagaram 3 Pennagaram, Palacode
Dharmapuri 4 Dharmapuri
Salem Salem 5 Salem
Coimbatore Coimbatore 6 Coimbatore
Erode Talavady 7 Talavady
Erode 8 Erode
Tiruppur Udumalpet 9 Udumalpet
Tirupattur Vaniyambadi 10 Vaniyambadi
Tiruvannamalai Tiruvannamalai 11 Tiruvannamalai
Trichy Trichy 12 Trichy
Pudukottai 13 Pudukottai
Dindigul Dindigul 14 Dindigul
15 Palani - C.K.Pudur
Sivagangai 16 Sivagangai
Theni Theni 17 Theni
Tenkasi Tenkasi 18 Nannagaram
Virudhunagar 19 Srivilliputhur
Kanyakumari 20 Nagercoil


Government Silk Reeling / Twisting Units

In order to support the post cocoon sector which is a vital sector of sericulture industry, eight Government Multiend Reeling Units are functioning as model units for reeling and twisting entrepreneurs. Government Reeling Units participate in cocoon market auction and help the farmers to get fair price for their produce. The capacity of these silk reeling units is 24 Metric Tonnes of raw silk per year.Of these 8 silk reeling units, units at Hosur, Salem, Talavady and Nannagaram are functioning as Reeling – cum - Twisting Units, where the raw silk is further converted as twisted silk (or ready silk).


Government Anna Silk Exchange, Kancheepuram

Government Anna Silk Exchange is the centre, wherein raw silk produced by the silk reelers of the State is being marketed. This exchange has been functioning since 1991. Silk brought for sales to the exchange is tested by the Regional Silk Technological Research Station, Kancheepuram. In order to facilitate reelers and twisters in and around Salem area, a branch of Government Anna Silk Exchange is functioning at Salem from August 2018. Silk brought for sales to the branch is tested by Silk Testing Service Centre, Salem. Based on the prevailing raw silk price and quality, floor price is fixed and silk lots are admitted for auction. Master weavers, Twisters and TANSILK participate in the open auction and purchase the silk. Spot payment is made through ECS mode to the sellers.


Tamil Nadu Co-operative Silk Producers’ Federation Limited (TANSILK), Kancheepuram

‘Tamil Nadu Co-operative Silk Producers’ Federation Limited’ (TANSILK), Kancheepuram was registered in 1978 as an apex body of Silk Co-operative Societies. It has six branches located at Arani, Coimbatore, Erode, Kancheepuram, Kumbakonam and Salem. Silk reelers, twisters and Silk Weavers’ Co-operative Societies are its members. It procures bulk quantity of raw silk from Government Anna Silk Exchange, Kancheepuram and supplies to its members. Silk Weavers’ Co-operative Societies, Khadi and Village Industries Board and the certified institutions like Sarvodaya Sanghs purchase twisted silk from TANSILK. The twisted silk is woven into sarees, dhoties and other silk materials and sold through Tamil Nadu Handloom Weavers’ Co-operative Society (Co optex), Handloom Co-operative Societies’ showrooms and private sales outlets.