Since the beginning of this year, affected by the rising cocoon and silk market, the price of silkworm cocoons has risen accordingly. In particular, the price of spring cocoons has hit a record high, reaching 2,500 yuan/quintal, an increase of 40% over the same period last year. The prices of other three periods of cocoons have also increased year-on-year. Increases to varying degrees. Under the trend of rising cocoon prices, the price of gold cocoons has increased even more, with prices reaching 2,800 yuan/quintal during the spring silkworm period and 2,300 yuan/quintal during the late autumn silkworm period, both about 20% higher than ordinary white cocoons.
The first is to rely on the technical strength of scientific research institutions to introduce new varieties of silkworms suitable for local breeding. Silkworm varieties are one of the two important “chips” in the sericulture industry. Strengthening the construction of silkworm variety projects is an important foundation for stabilizing the sericulture industry. Tongxiang City has always had a single variety of silkworms, a single color of cocoons, and a lack of market competitiveness. By being market-oriented and strengthening cooperation with scientific research institutes, Tongxiang City actively introduces, breeds, and promotes new marketable silkworm varieties, and enhances the competitiveness of new silkworm varieties. Only with reserves and adaptability to meet diversified market demands can the sustainable development of the sericulture industry be ensured. The golden cocoon silkworm species is a new variety of natural colored cocoon silkworms successfully bred by Zhejiang University through genetic modification. Tongxiang City began to introduce trial breeding in 2019. It is favored by local people because of its bright colors, easy to raise, and high price.
The second is to rely on the city’s good sericulture foundation to strengthen the breeding and promotion of new silkworm varieties. Tongxiang has a long history of sericulture and is known as the “House of Silk”. The amount of silkworms raised and the production of silkworm cocoons rank first in the province. Tongxiang Sericulture Co., Ltd., a leading enterprise in Jiaxing City that integrates research and development, first-generation hybrid production and operation, has excellent breeding technology and has a professional technical guidance department, which is conducive to the promotion and breeding of new silkworm varieties. This year, more than 500 golden cocoon silkworm seeds were raised in the city, of which 412.5 were raised in Jiansheng Village. The seeds increased their income by 400-500 yuan. Silkworm farmers have truly enjoyed the dividends brought by technological innovation.
The third is to rely on the “leading enterprise + base + farmer” model to ensure sales channels for new varieties of silkworm cocoons. Golden cocoons are different from ordinary white cocoons in that they are brightly colored and have a small market share, making them a niche product. In order to effectively protect the sales channels of specialty silkworm cocoons and allow silkworm farmers to take good reassurance and raise specialty silkworms, Tongxiang City provides one-stop services from silkworm seed distribution, technical guidance, and cocoon purchase through the “enterprise + base + farmer” order breeding model. This ensures that special silkworm cocoons can be produced and sold. In the past three years, from introduction to self-propagation, from pilot households to pilot villages, a golden cocoon silkworm breeding base centered on Jiansheng Village, Fengming Street, has gradually been formed.
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