Laos, S. Korea achieve success in silkworm project

The Horticulture Research Centre at the National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute and EK Farm and Farm from the Republic of Korea held a meeting on November 10 to review a joint project on the raising of silkworms over the past year and to discuss future plans.

CEO of EK Farm and Farm, Mr Cha Seung Yeun.

The meeting was co-chaired by the Deputy Director General of the National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute, Dr Chanthakhone Boualaphanh, the CEO of EK Farm and Farm, Mr Cha Seung Yeun, and President of EK Farm and Farm, Dr Yoon Young Hyun.
The pilot project took place from July 2022 to 2023, to determine whether Korean silkworms could be reared in Laos and provide jobs and income for Lao farmers.
According to a report from a project coordinator, Mr Phaithoune Mounsena, and a report by EK Farm and Farm, studies indicate that the project has been a success.
Cocoons weighing an average of 0.93g were produced by silkworm larvae, yielding 18,600g per 20,000 cocoons.
Over a year, the cultivation of mulberry trees on one hectare yielded 834 kilograms of cocoons, and 344kg of dried silkworm pupa.
The project was judged as successful in Vientiane province, and the Korean silkworms will be kept as a new silkworm species at the Horticulture Research Centre.
The silkworms grew well and were able to adapt to the soil conditions and climate in Laos. The cocoons produced have been certified by Korea, with the standard and quality achieving 90 percent of the quality of the cocoons produced in Korea.
In the near future, EK Farm and Farm will extend the cooperation project with the Horticulture Research Centre.
Korean silkworms will be distributed to other provinces in Laos, where it is hoped this success will be replicated.
The project has been supported by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) since 2018.
The prototype venture will help rural farmers to increase their incomes.
The project was successful through collaboration between the Horticulture Research Centre and EK Farm and Farm from the Republic of Korea.
It was carried out and completed amidst difficulties and obstacles including the Covid pandemic, so its success is all the more significant.
In the future, the two sides will use new technology to achieve higher standards.
Further studies will be carried out to develop and change production methods, with the aim of adding more value and cutting the cost of production.
The two sides will continue the project for sustainable development in relation to environmental conservation, and promote the cultivation of commercial crops, to solve the problem of the storage of plant varieties for farmers.
The National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute said the project is an important turning point as it has the potential to turn traditional silkworm raising into a business that is second only to rice cultivation.
The project will collect basic information on mulberry tree cultivation and raising silkworms and improve cultivation skills in target areas.
In addition, the project will enlarge silkworm raising operations with the aim of selling more silk in Laos and producing more for export.

Representatives from Laos and Korea meet to review a project.

By Advertorial Desk
 (Latest Update November 17, 2023)