Rajahmundry, July 15^th: In an attempt to give a major boost to sericulture, the state government has expanded the targeted raising of mulberry plantations by 200 more acres, in addition to the existing acreage in each district. It is also offering several incentives to farmers to raise silk worms and generate finest variety of silk yarn in the state. The government has asked sericulture authorities to encourage farmers to raise mulberry plantations over about 1,200 acres in addition to the existing area.

Sericulture authorities are taking up measures to raise mulberry saplings at departmental farms and private nurseries to supply them to farmers. Of the expected demand of nearly one crore sapling, the authorities are planning to raise 50 lakh saplings in government nurseries and the remaining in private nurseries. They also propose to include several works under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme where farmers who work on their own fields will get wages instead of employing farm laborers.