Resource Use Efficiency and Yield Gap Analysis of Bivoltine Cocoon Production in Bilaspur District of Himachal Pradesh

Sericulture an agro-based multitudinous activity involves growing of mulberry, production of laying, rearing of silkworms for cocoons, marketing and reeling of cocoons for value added products such as processing and weaving of the silk yarn. Due to short gestation period and labour intensive enterprise, it can go a long way in promoting economic growth and poverty alleviation in rural areas. A study was carried out to examine the resource use efficiency, technology adoption and yield gaps at silkworms' rearer level in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh. Purposive two-stage random sampling method was used to select a sample of 60 silkworm (41 small and 19 large) rearers, who mostly raised one crop of bivoltine cocoons in spring season (March-April) whereas 68.33 per cent could raise two crops one in spring and other in autumn season (September-October).The findings revealed that average seed used by the rearers was 0.66 Oz (18.48 g) in spring season while it was just 0.28 Oz (7.84 g) in autumn because of its less suitability. Technologies adopted included the important parameters like improved mulberry variety plantation, disinfection, silkworm rearing house, maintenance of hygiene, good harvesting of required size and shape of cocoons etc. The index of realised potential farm yield (IRPFY) varied from 68.89 per cent in small farm to 72.48 per cent in large for the spring season whereas in the autumn season it varied between 41.00 to 47.33 per cent. Regression analysis indicated that 69 per cent of the variation in the cocoon yield was significantly affected by use of silkworm seed and daily frequency of mulberry feeding and thus considered important in cocoon production.