Initiative to boost silk production yields first results

In what has been hailed as a first step in reviving an important Cambodian tradition, a programme initiated by the silk research centre at the Royal University of Phnom Penh has produced its first yarn of raw yellow silk.

The achievement comes after months of growing mulberry trees, building the necessary facilities and breeding and raising silkworms, according to a representative of the Aoral Silk Community in Kampong Speu, a beneficiary of the programme and the producers of its first yarn.

“With the collaboration of RUPP, we were able to produce our first yarn of raw yellow silk,” Ea Hoknym, the leader of the community, told Khmer Times yesterday.

“This first cycle only yielded 2.5 kilograms of yarns, but we hope to reach more than 25 kilograms in the future, starting in October when we will be in full operation.

“It is a small amount of silk, but at least it is a step in the right direction. We will engage more farmers in the community to expand production,” he added.

Mr Hoknym said earlier this month he started raising 60,000 silkworms provided by RUPP, and that by the end of August he will be given 180,000 more.

A number of centres and silk communities around the country have been selected to test the silkworms produced at RUPP’s research centre, which was launch last year.

Read more...