SERICULTURE

1.1 Introduction

What is Sericulture
Sericulture is the practice of rearing silkworms for production of raw silk. The entire practice,
from soil to silk, can be broadly classified into four interdependent agro-industrial activities;
i) Mulberry farming for leaf production
ii) Silkworm rearing and cocoon production
iii) Production of raw silk
iv) Cocoon post-harvest technology
v) Weaving of silk fabric
Silk production is the breeding and management of silk worms for the commercial production
of silk. Sericulture is an important industry in many countries in the world namely Japan, China,
India, Italy, France and Spain. Silk production from the moth, Bombyx mori has a long and
colourful history unknown to many people. This insect is the only living species of family
Bombycidae and has been domesticated for so long that it is possible that there are no survivors
in the wild any longer. According to the Chinese records, the discovery of silk production from
B. mori occurred about 2700 BC. It is believed that empress Si-lung-Chi was asked by emperor
Huang-ti to establish the cause of damaged mulberry leaves on trees in their garden. The
empress found white worms eating the leaves. She noticed that they were also shiny cocoons
around themselves. A cocoon dropped in her cup of tea and silky threads separated from the
cocoon. Silk industry began in China where the source of silk was kept a secret for more than
2000 years. After some time, China lost their monopoly in silk production, sericulture reached
Japan through Korea and then to other countries.
What is Silk?
Silk is a unique protein fiber produced from the interface of plant and animal. It was discovered
in China 4000 years ago and up-to-date silk has continued to reign supreme over other textile
fibers both the natural (cotton, wool, jute) and man-made fibers (rayon, nylon, polyester,
viscose, etc). It is due to its exclusive beauty that silk is acclaimed as the Queen of Textiles.
Global Silk Perspective
Globally, over 30 countries produce silk, 16 of which are in the Asian continent, accounting for
about 90% of the total world silk production. India is the second largest producer of raw silk
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after China and is also the biggest consumer of silk. Silk production in temperate countries like
Japan, South Korea, USSR, etc is declining steadily, not only because of the high cost of labour
and heavy industrialization in these countries, but also due to climatic restrictions which allows
only 2 crops per year. Kenya has a distinct advantage of practicing sericulture all through the
year, yielding a stream of about 3-4 cocoon crops as a result of its tropical climate.

1.2 Importance of Sericulture in Kenya

The potential of sericulture in Kenya is multi-fold, and is yet to be fully tapped. Sericulture
viability in Kenya was established in 1972, when sericulture was introduced into the country
through collaboration of the Government of Kenya (GOK) and the Japanese International
Cooperation Agency (JICA). Sericulture potential in Kenya is associated with:
 Ideal climatic conditions for mulberry cultivation and silkworm rearing
 Silkworms can be reared in simple structures and equipment
 Availability of cheap labour
 Good cocoon quality with average filament length of 1200 meters
 No major cocoon pest
 Sericulture has been growing in Kenya as an agro-based industry playing a vital role in
the improvement of rural economy.
1.3 Classification of silkworm species and their distribution in Kenya
Types of Silk
There are two broad classifications of silk, wild silk and domesticated silk. Under 'domesticated
silk' we have mulberry silk and non-mulberry silk.
Mulberry silk is produced by Bombyx mori. Their larvae are reared on Mulberry leaves
Non-mulberry “silks”
i) Tasar silk is produced by certain species of another moth Antherea royeli. Their
larvae are reared on Arjun trees.
ii) Muga silk is obtained from Antherea assama whose larvae are reared on ― Som‖
trees iii) Eri silk is produced by the moth Philosamia ricini whose larvae feed on castor
leaves.
Areas where sericulture is practiced in Kenya (Nyanza Region): Bondo, Rachuonyo, Homa-
Bay

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Western Province: Busia, Budalangi, Kakamega, Emuhaya, Ikolomani Rift Valley: Rongai,
Wareng, Naivasha, Laikipia East and Central, Nakuru, Kajiado Central Province: Kikuyu, Lari,
Kiambu, Ruiru, Murranga South and East, Kirinyaga, Nyeri East Eastern Province: Imenti
South, Machakos Coast Province: Kwale, Malindi, Tana River, Taita Traveta Nairobi Province:
Kasarani, Dagoretti The current acreage under mulberry stands at 250 acres, spread over the
above mentioned areas. More farmers have continued to engage themselves in sericulture either
in groups or individually. The tree performs well and the expected cocoon yield is
640kgs/acre/year.

Table 1. Production Data Table

YEAR MULBERRY (Metric tons) COCOONS (Kg) RAW SILK (Kg) SILK FLOSS (Kg)

1 7.0 150 24 22

2 14 300 40 44

3 20 750 80 110

Silk Markets in Kenya

All silk produced in Kenya is consumed locally, and there is a bigger export market. Major
consumers are the cottage industries, which also use cotton and wool. Most of the weavers use
had looms to weave very beautiful fabrics, which are purchased locally by tourists and also sold
abroad. A survey carried out showed that the finer silk fibre found in the shops is imported. This
is an indication that there is market for silk fabrics and silk fibre in Kenya. Below is a list of silk
market outlets in Kenya:
1. National Sericulture Station, Thika
2. International Centre for Insect Physiology and Entomology I.C.I.P.E
3. Kakamega Forest Silk Market Centre, in Kakamega
4. Pendeza Weaving, in Kisumu
5. Spin Weave, in Nairobi
6. Gramwa, in Kiambu
7. Mwingi Silk Market Place, in Mwingi
8. Arabuko Sokoke Silk Market Place, in Malindi

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9. Molo Weavers, in Elburgon
10. Rivatex, in Eldoret (Prospective large scale buyer)
11. Kimahuri youth group in Nyeri county
12. Sarah Jane in Nairobi
There are many other cottage weavers that we might not be aware of that are interested in
buying silk. Farmers are encouraged to survey around their areas for upcoming and existing
weavers.

1.4 Reproductive management, behaviour, breeding and nutrition of silkworms

1.4.1 The silkworm

The silkworm is the larva or the caterpillar of the moth Bombyx mori (popularly called the silk
moth) the total life history of the moth (from egg to adult take 50 days). The different
development stages in a life cycle are as follows:
(i) Egg 10 days
(ii) Larva (4 Stages) 30 days
(iii) Pupa (Cocoon) 10 days

 Adult
The adult silk moth is a creamy white moth that has a flat body and a wing expanse of about
5cm. It takes no food and seldom attempts to fly. It lives for only 2 to 3 days. After mating, the
female moth lays 300-500 eggs on leaves of the mulberry tree.
 Eggs
The eggs are round and yellowish-white, and they become grey as hatching time approaches.
 Larvae
The newly hatched larva is about 3 mm long and somewhat black in colour. The larvae grow in
size and shed their skin (moult) four times. Each growing stage of the caterpillar consumes lot
of mulberry leaves. The last stage full grown larva is about 7 cm long. It has a hump behind the
head and a spine-like horn at the tail end. When full grown, the mature larva stops feeding,
climbs on a twig and spins a cocoon.

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  Pupa
The full grown larva pupates inside the cocoon– In about 10 days’ time it transforms into a
winged adult. The adult moth makes an opening in the cocoon and escapes through it.

1.5 Structural aids in silkworm production and their maintenance.

The cocoon

The cocoon is formed from a secretion from two large silk glands (actually the salivary glands),
which extend along the inside of the body and open through a common duct on the lower lip of
the mouthparts. The larva moves the head from side to side very rapidly (about 65 times per
minute) throwing out the secretion of the silk glands in the form of a thread. The secretion is a
clear viscous fluid, which on exposure to the air gets hardened into the fine silk fibre. The
filament forming a cocoon is continuous and ranges in length from 700-1100 metres. The
cocoons from which moths have emerged are called pierced cocoons. These are of low value
because continuous thread cannot be obtained. Pieces are removed by instruments and spun into
a thread.
1.6 Establishment of an ideal silkworm house and management
Rearing of silkworms
Silk moth Bombyx mori is at present fully domesticated. It no longer exists in a wild state and it
cannot survive without the human care. Selected healthy silk moths are allowed to mate for 4
hours. Female moth is then kept in a dark plastic bed. She lays about 400 eggs in 24 hours, the
female is taken out and is crushed and examined for any disease, only the certified disease- free
eggs are reared for industrial purpose. The eggs are hatched in an incubator. The hatched larvae
are kept in trays inside a rearing house at a temperature of about 20°C-25°C. These are first fed
on chopped mulberry leaves. After 4-5 days fresh leaves are provided. As the larvae grow, they
are transferred to fresh leaves on clean trays, when fully grown they spin cocoons. Silk is the
product of silk glands of the silkworm or in the larva (caterpillar) of the moth Bombyx mori.
Besides Bombyx mori which produces mulberry silk there are other three moths that produce
silk namely tasar, muga and eri.

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1.7 Reeling silk
The cocoons are cooked in hot water and the silk fibre is unwound from the cocoons. This
process is called reeling. The silk consists of two proteins the inner core is fibroin and an outer
cover of sericin. The following are four steps for the completion of the process of reeling. For
reeling silk the cocoons are gathered about 8 days after spinning had begun.
i) The cocoons are first treated by steam or dry heat to kill the insect inside. This is
necessary to prevent the destruction of the continuous fibre by the emergence of the moth.
ii) Next, the cocoons are soaked in hot water (95° -97°C) for 10-15 minutes to soften the
gum that binds the silk threads together. This process is called cooking. iii) The ―cooked‖
cocoons are kept in hot water and the loose ends of the thread are caught by hand. iv)
Threads from several cocoons are wound together on wheels (charakhas‖) to form the reels
of raw silk Only about one-half of the silk of each cocoon is reelable, the remainder is used
as a silk waste and formed into spun silk. Raw silk thus obtained is processed through
several treatments to give it the final shape.

1.8 Silkworm products, handling and marketing

 Main properties of silk
i) It is lustrous, soft and strong. ii) It is made of two proteins: the inner core
is fibroin and an outer cover is sericin iii) It is hard wearing. iv) It can be
dyed into several colours.

How to Start Up Sericulture - Basic Requirements

1. Land: This is the most important requirement for from it food for silkworms will be
harvested.
2. Planting material: It is important to select varieties that bear many leaves, at least 30m
tons per acre (good variety of Mulberry cuttings).
3. Silkworm rearing house: Must be one that can retain basic requirement of hygienic
conditions. 4. Rearing equipment: Appropriate and approved rearing equipment such as
rearing beds, mountages, sprayer pump, chopping boards etc are required.
5. Silkworm eggs: Must be obtained from approved silkworm egg breeders.
6. Training: A person intending to rear silkworms must have basic training of at least two
weeks so as to master rearing techniques.
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7. Farm equipment: Jembes, for digging and weeding, secateurs for pruning and
harvesting of leaves, pruning saws for cutting larger shoots, fencing materials to prevent
animal pests.

Sericulture Economics for One Acre Cocoon production economics (Investment costs
spread over a 20-year production/accounting period)
Yield Price/Kg Gross Income Production Cost Yearly Profit
YEAR 1
160kg 350 56,000 55,295 705
YEAR 2
320kg 350 112,000 82,895 29,105
YEAR 3 onwards
640kg 350 224,000 131,295 92,705

Initial Investment Overview

Item Price Ksh
Rearing house 208,769
Mulberry establishment 96,000
16 beds 22,784
Partitions and frames 44,120
Spraying pump and protective gear 10,000
Variable rearing costs Year 1 32,400
Total Year 1 414,073

Rearing House Building Costs

Cost of mulberry establishment and rearing house is spread over a period of 20 years. Cost of
materials and labour from region to region, so below cost estimate could easily differ in your
area. 7m x 5m house is adequate for 2 cases rearing.
Quantity Unit Price KSh Total Cost Estimation
Timber 808ft 45 36,360
Off cuts 1,360 3 4,080
Roofing nails 5kg 280 1,400
Ordinary nails 4" 30kg 180 5,400
Iron sheets 64pcs 700 44,800
Sand 2 lorries (7 ton) 10,000 20,000
Cement 5 bags 800 4,000

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Posts 20 250 5,000
Coffee tray mesh 1 roll 4,000 4,000
Polythene sheet 15m 150 2,250
Labour (skilled) 30 m.d 700 21,000
Unskilled labour 30 m.d 400 12,000
Hard core 2 lorry (7 ton) 2,000 4,000
Door 3 3,500 10,500
Windows 10 1,500 15,000
Miscellaneous 10% 18,979
Initial Investment - house 208,769
House cost spread over 20 years Per Year 10,438

Beds
To save on space, rearing beds can be stacked (tier rearing beds).

Cost Per Year

Timber (6x1) 20ft 25 500
(2x2) 8ft 23 184 Ply wood 1 550 550
Assorted nails ½ kg 90 90
Labour (skilled for one bed) 1 100 100
Sub-Total
Total 16 beds 22,784
Spread over 20 years 1,200
Partitions (Mountages) 256 150 38,400

Frames 26 220 5,720

Total 44,120
Spread over 10 years 4,412

Mulberry Establishment Costs

Cost of mulberry establishment and rearing house is spread over a period of 20 years. Manure:
Manure and fertilizer should be added to the mulberry crop at least twice a year. Waste from
bed cleaning can be composted into manure.

ACTIVITY QUANTITY UNIT COST (KES) TOTAL COST (KES)

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YEAR 1
Land preparation 20 MD 200 4,000
Digging holes 4,000 holes 10 40,000
Manure 8 tons (1 lorry) 10,000 10,000
Manure application 10 MD 200 2,000
Fertilizer DAP/NPK 8 bags 2,500 20,000
Saplings 4,000 saplings 3 12,000
Planting labour 20MD 200 4,000
Pruning and training 20MD 200 4,000
Total 96,000
Cost spread over 20 years Per Year 4,800

Mulberry Growing

Variable costs per year

Weeding 4 times 20MD 200 16,000
Fertilizer CAN 8 bags 2,000 16,000
Manure 8 tons (1 lorry) 10,000 10,000
Application labour 5MD 200 1,000
Pruning 4 times 10MD 200 8,000
Total 51,000