Silk farmers block highway, demand support price

Condemning the fall in silk cocoon prices and demanding support prices for their produce, silk farmers of Ramanagaram dumped cocoons if front of the silk market, on the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway in protest.

The sericulture commissioner visited the spot and heard them out. Traffic on the highway was disrupted for a while due to the blockade.

The protesters complained that though silk cocoon prices had dropped significantly in the last three months, officials had not addressed the issue. Currently, the produce is selling at Rs 150 per kg and silk farmers are incurring losses.

They demanded that Rs 350 support price for every kilogram of C B variety and Rs 450 support price for Bivoltine silk cocoon; be announced by the government.

The auction of silk cocoons also stopped for a while because of the protest.