Silkworm prices increase highly, making mulberry growers cheerful

From planning the mulberry growing area, converting from weak rice-growing areas, low-lying fields, and gardens to growing mulberry trees to raise silkworms, Tran Yen district (Yen Bai province) has over 800 hectares of mulberry trees in Thanh, Y Can, Bao Dap, Tan Dong, Quy Mong communes bring stable income to people.

Compared to growing wet rice and other crops such as corn, beans, and peanuts..., mulberry trees bring 4-5 times higher income. Due to the high economic efficiency, many households have converted 100% of their arable land to growing mulberry and raising silkworms.

Mr. Nguyen Van Giap from Lan Dinh village, Viet Thanh commune (Tran Yen district), said: He was one of the first to plant mulberry trees in inefficient rice fields. After 20 years, the mulberry tree has become his family's primary income source. Currently, in both the rented area and the house, he has more than 1 hectare of land to grow mulberries to raise silkworms. Each silkworm harvest earns hundreds of millions of dong.

"In previous years, due to the influence of the epidemic, the price of silkworm dropped too low. In 2020 it sometimes decreased to only VND 50,000 - 60,000 per kilogram. Some people broke mulberry and planted other crops, but my family still clings to it. With more than 1 hectare of mulberry trees, I raise 4 turns of silkworms every month. Each turn of 6-7 silkworm breeds, if conveniently growing, I get 80-90 kilograms of the silkworm. In 2022, I plan to raise from 10 to 12 silkworm turns. The whole harvest is about 9 quintals of the silkworm at the price of VND 120,000 per kilogram. After expenses, I still have a profit of VND 180-200 million", Mr. Giap was excited.

This year, silkworm prices are high, and silkworms are rarely sick, so silkworm growers are very excited. Last year, there was a time when the price of silkworm was as low as VND 80,000 per kilogram. In this year's silkworm crop, which is currently the main crop, the price of silkworm remains at VND 120,000 - 130,000 per kilogram.

Mr. Nguyen Van Dien, Binh Minh village, Y Can commune, shared: Since switching to growing mulberry to raise silkworms, the economic efficiency has been highest among local crops. There are times when market prices go up and down, but farmers still do not suffer losses like other livestock.

"My family currently has 0.6 hectares of land to grow mulberries to raise silkworms. This year, I have sold 6 turns of silkworms. From now until the end of the crop, I collect 3-4 more turns. I collect about 4 silkworm quintals in the whole crop. There is little agricultural land to grow corn, but at the end of this year, I will also switch to growing mulberries," said Mr. Dien.

Mrs. Trieu Thi Bich Lieu, Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Tran Yen district, said: Tran Yen district has 13 mulberry cooperatives, building 22 silkworm rearing houses in Quy Mong, Viet Thanh, and Tan Dong, Bao Dap communes suppling silkworm breeds for farmers.

In 2022, the district's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development built 4 chains to support people raising silkworms; regularly appointed officials to monitor the area and support silkworm seed supply establishments closely; renovated and upgraded silkworm growing houses to ensure standards for silkworm seed production to supply silkworm growing households.

Currently, the whole district has more than 800 hectares of mulberry plantation. The area for harvesting leaves is over 725 hectares in the communes of Viet Thanh, Quy Mong, Bao Dap, Y Can... with over 1,500 households engaged in silkworm growing. In 2022, the whole district will plant more than 80 hectares of young strawberries.

In the first 10 months of 2022, the silkworm production of the whole district reached over 1,100 tons. The entire year silkworm production will get about 1,300 tons, bringing more than VND 10 billion. Tran Yen district strives that by 2025, the total mulberry area will reach 1,200 hectares.

To ensure the sustainable development of silkworm farming, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Tran Yen district also implemented some projects such as: Supporting people in raising silkworm trays, sliding trays...; learning suitable quality silkworm varieties, high silkworm yield to provide silkworm farmers...

Mulberry production in Vietnam has developed back in recent years. In 2021, the whole country had 32 provinces forming mulberry cultivation, with an area of 13,166 hectares of mulberries (increasing by 53.99% compared to 2010); new silkworm production was 16,456 tons, more than doubled compared to 2010, exporting 1,067 tons of silk, up 94% compared to 2010 with a total export value of US$ 72.7 million, and ranked 4th in the world on silk exporting.