A year after launching its own sericulture research centre, the Royal University of Phnom Penh yesterday announced it has successfully bred healthy, high-quality silkworms that are being distributed to weaving communities across the country.
“Through this achievement, Cambodia will, step by step, reduce imports of silk yarns,” Thavouth Khoun, coordinator of the Silk Research Centre at RUPP, told Khmer Times.
“With these new silkworms, we hope to revitalise the sector, which will help reactive and diversify the national economy, provide more jobs to women and the physically impaired and help preserve our traditional silk weaving culture and techniques,” he said.
A number of centres and silk communities around the country have been selected to test the silkworms, Mr Khoun said. They include Banteay Dek Agriculture Research Station in Kandal province, the Institute of Khmer Traditional Textiles in Siem Reap, and Aoral Silk Community in Kampong Speu.
RUPP will eventually include other silk communities in Mondulkiri and Kampot into the programme, he said.
“Now, our silkworms can produce silk yarns that stretch for 300 metres,” he said, adding they are not yet satisfied with these results, and are conducting research to produce yarns of 800 metres or more.
Mr Khoun explained that RUPP’s silk initiative seeks to infuse new life into a sector with great potential that is not being fulfilled. He said Cambodia demands nearly 400 tonnes of silk yarns a year (amounting to about $30 million), but that local production is just under four tonnes.
He said the local sericulture sector is in a state of decline. It is beset by a number of diseases that affect the silkworm population, as well as a lack of access to modern equipment and technology. He added that the sector is in need of an institution capable of representing the industry and lobbying on its behalf.
Mey Kalyan, chairman of the Board of Trustees at RUPP, said their centre’s achievements should not be underestimated.
