Definition and Bengali Agrarian Terminology
Resham Chash integrates moriculture (mulberry plant cultivation) with scientific silkworm rearing and rural reeling enterprises.
Bengal's agrarian lexicon features specialized terms for every stage of silk cultivation and artisanal spinning.
- Resham Chash (রেশম চাষ): The complete agro-industrial process of silkworm cultivation and cocoon production
- Tut Gach (তুঁত গাছ): The mulberry tree (Morus alba) whose succulent green leaves are the exclusive food of silkworm larvae
- Resham Gooti (রেশম গুটি): The protective silk cocoon spun by the mature fifth-instar silkworm caterpillar
- Gooti Poka (গুটি পোকা): The silkworm caterpillar (Bombyx mori) reared in clean bamboo trays inside ventilated rearing sheds
Sericulture Districts in West Bengal
Sericulture provides vital year-round self-employment to thousands of smallholders, women rearers, and tribal families in rural Bengal.
The state produces premium mulberry silk alongside indigenous wild Vanya silks like Tasar in western red-laterite zones.
- Malda District: The silk capital of West Bengal, accounting for over 70% of the state's total mulberry raw silk output
- Murshidabad District: Famed for historical silk weaving heritage, producing fine handloom silk saris and Baluchari textiles
- Birbhum and Bankura Districts: Traditional hubs for Tasar wild silk (Asan and Arjun tree host plants) and silk reeling cooperatives
- High-Yielding Varieties: Propagation of certified V1 and S1635 mulberry varieties delivering multiple leaf harvests per year
Silk Reeling, Government Subsidies, and Marketing
The Directorate of Sericulture, West Bengal, and the Central Silk Board support rearers with subsidized disease-free layings (DFLs) and rearing equipment.
Modernized multi-end reeling units and automatic reeling machines (ARM) have upgraded fiber quality, fetching premium yarn prices.
- Subsidized Inputs: Financial grants for constructing hygienic silkworm rearing houses, irrigation borewells, and rearing appliances
- Cocoon Markets: Regulated government cocoon markets ensuring fair weighment and transparent electronic auctioning
- Artisanal Weaving: Reeled silk feeds West Bengal's handloom weaving clusters, producing celebrated Murshidabad silk and Baluchari saris
Official source
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Central Silk Board - Ministry of Textiles ↗Related on KisanPe
Common questions
What is sericulture called in Bengali?
Sericulture is called 'Resham Chash' (রেশম চাষ) in Bengali, and silk cocoons are called 'Resham Gooti' (রেশম গুটি).
Which district is the largest producer of mulberry silk in West Bengal?
Malda district is the largest mulberry silk-producing district in West Bengal, contributing the majority of the state's raw silk.
What tree leaves do Bengal silkworms feed on?
Silkworms feed on the fresh, succulent leaves of the mulberry tree, known as 'Tut Gach' (তুঁত গাছ) in Bengali.
General guidance, not personal advice. For your farm, ask your local Krishi Vigyan Kendra or agriculture officer.
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