Onlykashmir.in News Desk
The Spring Silk Cocoon Auction Market for Kashmir opened at the Sericulture Complex in Srinagar on Wednesday, with the Department of Sericulture putting its weight behind fair pricing and better returns for the Valley’s cocoon growers.
Director Sericulture J&K Ajaz Ahmad Bhat, IAS, formally inaugurated the market in the presence of departmental officers, cocoon growers from across Kashmir Division, and buyers drawn from both within and outside the Union Territory. The auction has been organized to give growers access to fair and remunerative prices through a transparent, competitive bidding process, part of a broader departmental push to strengthen the sericulture sector and lift the economic prospects of silkworm rearers across the region.
Speaking at the inauguration, Bhat reaffirmed the department’s commitment to providing adequate market facilities and ensuring better returns for growers, while outlining plans to expand infrastructure by setting up more silkworm reeling units across Jammu and Kashmir to promote local silk production. He said the department wants cocoon produce generated in Jammu and Kashmir to be largely consumed within the Union Territory itself, a shift he argued would not only strengthen the local silk industry but also help farmers realize better returns for their produce.
Officials say the auction is designed to boost growers’ incomes by enabling direct interaction between sellers and buyers, encouraging competitive bidding, and ensuring transparent price discovery, a departure from the less structured, intermediary-heavy sales channels that have historically left many small growers with thinner margins. The department made detailed arrangements for the smooth conduct of the auction, including dedicated space allocation, weighing facilities, and quality assessment mechanisms to ensure produce is graded and priced fairly.
Cocoon growers who participated in the auction welcomed the arrangements and the transparency of the mechanism, expressing hope for better returns given what they described as improved quality and quantity of cocoons produced across Kashmir Division this season. Buyers echoed similar sentiments, noting a visible improvement in both the quality and quantity of cocoons on offer compared with previous years, a sign that could translate into stronger demand and steadier prices as the auction season progresses.
The opening of the market marks a step toward strengthening the local silk value chain, an industry with deep historical roots in Kashmir that has faced pressure in recent years from cheaper imported silk and inconsistent procurement mechanisms. Officials say sustained investment in auction infrastructure, reeling capacity, and quality control could help the Valley’s sericulture sector recover lost ground and better support the thousands of families who depend on silkworm rearing as a source of income.
