Determinants of sericulture in Malda district, West Bengal: A geographical analysis Hanafi Yasir Saeed1, Mohammad Taufique2**, Md Hoque Areful3* 1STA, Department of Geography, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 2Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 3Senior Research Fellow, Department of Geography, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh *e-mail: areful2012@gmail.com
**taufiquemohd@gmail.com
Online published on 30 May, 2021. Abstract Sericulture is an art and rearing of silkworms for the production of raw silk and other products. It is an agro-based, labour intensive and rural cottage industry generating ample employment in Malda district of West Bengal. Malda district is known as ‘Hub of Raw Silk Centre ’in West Bengal. Sericulture is an ideal and traditional occupation among the rural peoples of this district. The paper is an attempt to examine the spatio-temporal production of raw silk in Malda district, to highlight the major determinants of sericulture in the district and analyse the future prospect of sericulture in the study area. The entire study is based on the secondary sources of data. Malda district has been selected as the study area, famous for raw silk production and mango cultivation, which is also called ‘Gateway of North Bengal ’. The physical factors like climate, soil, relief, drainage and socio-economic factors such as raw materials, cheap and skilled labour, power supply, transport and communication system, market, capital and research and extension etc. plays a major role in the growth and development sericulture activity in the study area. The results of the study shows that during the year 2011–12, the district has produced 851.26 metric tonnes of raw silk and provided employment to near about 59, 044 of rural families. The Study reveals that both physical and socio-economic factors play an important role in booming up of this industry in Malda district of West Bengal. In present time the district has secured first position in raw silk production in the state. It is assumes that the future of sericulture industry in Malda district to be very bright and certainly the district will take a big leap in coming years. Top Key Words Sericulture, Raw Silk, Market, Determinants and Production. Top |