Shiyan Mulberry Silkworm Industry

Shiyan Mulberry Silkworm Industry

　　The mulberry silkworm industry in Shiyan City has a long history, but due to market fluctuations, it has experienced ups and downs over the years, remaining small in scale and short in industrial chain. In recent years, with the implementation of the “East Silk to West” project, Shiyan has become a new advantageous region for the development of the national mulberry silkworm industry, and farmers’ enthusiasm for production continues to grow. Developing an ecological mulberry silkworm industry is both a necessity to serve the overall strategy of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project and a requirement to promote the sustainable development of the ecological and characteristic industries in the reservoir area. It is essential to adhere to ecological industrialization, intensify industrialized management, and vigorously develop a modern ecological mulberry silkworm industry.

　　I. Current Status of Industrial Development

　　1. The industrial base is taking shape. By the end of 2013, the city had established 110,000 mu of standard mulberry gardens, with 75,000 mu in production and 30,000 mu in core demonstration areas, basically forming a high-quality industrial belt with one dominant product per township. These are mainly distributed in townships such as Liudong, Bailang, Hujia Ying, Chengguan, Yangxi, Tanshan, Nanhua, Baishang, Dayu, and Baoxia in Yun County; Xiangkou, Jingyang, Jiahe, Jianchi, Guanyin, Ma’an, Liulang, Hejia, and Anjia in Yunxi County; and Jiangjiayan, Fengxi, Shuiping, Xianhe, and Eping in Zhuxi County. The construction quality of the mulberry silkworm bases in the city is high, and the growth rate of mulberry gardens ranks among the top in the province. Currently, nearly 60,000 people in the city are engaged in mulberry silkworm industry production.

　　2. Production capacity continues to improve. In 2013, the city’s total cocoon output was 650 tons, with a cocoon output value of 25 million yuan and a comprehensive output value of 450 million yuan. The benefits of the industry are beginning to show. The city has built 300,000 square meters of silkworm rearing houses, renovated 210 small silkworm co-rearing rooms and 936 silkworm rearing dedicated rooms, promoted the use of 2.5 million grid mounts, applied 300 sets of labor-saving silkworm rearing stands, and installed 100 automatic temperature controllers. The small silkworm co-rearing rate and grid mount penetration rate in the city have both reached 100%.

　　3. The service system is taking initial shape. To promote the development of the mulberry silkworm industry, key townships have established small silkworm co-rearing rooms and technical training bases based on large-scale breeders, and a service network at the county, township (town), and village levels is beginning to take shape.

　　4. Technical training and policy guidance are carried out simultaneously. Training in new technologies and promotion of new varieties mainly focus on introducing and breeding high-quality mulberry silkworms, high-yield silkworm rearing techniques, high-yield mulberry garden management, small silkworm co-rearing, application of labor-saving silkworm rearing stands, use of grid mounts, integrated prevention and control of silkworm diseases, and labor-saving ant collection. A total of 350 silkworm rearing training sessions have been held, training 25,000 people (person-times), and distributing over 26,000 copies (volumes) of materials and CDs such as the "Practical Technical Manual for Mulberry Planting and Silkworm Rearing."

　　II. Mulberry Silkworm Enterprises

　　Shiyan Tianxiang Cocoon Silk Biochemical Co., Ltd. The company was established in June 2008

　　Located in Zhuxi Industrial Park, Hubei Province, it covers an area of 60 mu, currently employs 350 staff, and has total assets of 42.8 million yuan. It owns six sets of the most advanced domestic Hualong 2000 automatic silk reeling production lines and 12 sets of jacquard silk machine production lines, mainly the SL228/160 model. It is the largest privately-owned enterprise in northwestern Hubei that integrates mulberry planting, silkworm rearing, cocoon drying, silk production, processing, and sales. Its main products include white silk, silk quilts, silk fabrics, silkworm excrement health pillows, and refined silkworm pupa food series. The company currently has a 20,000-mu mulberry garden science and technology innovation demonstration planting base, with an annual capacity to dry and process over 1,000 tons of dry cocoons, produce 300 tons of white silk, and process 5 million meters of raw silk. Its annual output value exceeds 80 million yuan, and its products are exported to Southeast Asian countries such as India, Pakistan, and South Korea, as well as to domestic regions including Zhejiang, Shanghai, Qinghai, and Sichuan, with supply unable to meet demand.

　　2. Hubei Yunxian Jiangyun Silk Co., Ltd. This is a private partnership enterprise, established in July 2009, located in Chengguan Town, Yunxian County, covering an area of 15 mu. Since 2009, it has cumulatively invested 25 million yuan and signed long-term cocoon purchase and sales contracts with 2,655 households, covering an area of 20,000 mu, accounting for 90% of the mulberry garden area in the region. The company mainly produces white spun silk, twisted silk, silk quilts, and all-silk home textile series. With an export rate of 80%, its products are exported to countries and regions such as Canada, Hong Kong, and Macau. It is the largest exporter of agricultural and sideline products in Hubei Province, with an annual output value of over 60 million yuan and annual export earnings of around 7 million US dollars.

　　Hubei Zhongling Silk Co., Ltd. This is an agricultural product processing project introduced by Yunxi County in 2009 and is a subsidiary of Guangxi Huahong Silk Co., Ltd. It is mainly responsible for cocoon purchasing and processing. It has built an automated drying line capable of drying 8 tons of fresh cocoons per day, and developed products such as the “Weaver Girl” brand silk quilts, ties, and scarves. On January 11, 2011, the company officially signed a contract with the Yunxi County Government for the silk processing project, with a total investment of 100 million yuan, including 50 million yuan for the silk reeling factory. It went into production in early 2012, processing about 300 tons of raw silk annually, with an annual output value exceeding 50 million yuan.