Silkworm farming earns millions

(Baonghean.vn) - Silkworms raised on cassava leaves are helping many households in the mountainous district of Anh Son earn millions of dong each month.

Cassava worm farming is being pursued by many people in the mountainous district of Anh Son. Photo: Huyen Trang

We came to Mr. Nguyen Duy Mai's house in village 10, Tho Son commune at noon, which was the time when silkworms were feeding, so Mr. Mai had to mobilize all family members to rush out to harvest.

Quickly catching the ripe golden silkworms, Mr. Mai excitedly said: "For more than 3 years now, my family has been raising cassava leaf silkworms. Prices have gone up and down, but the silkworms have never been unsold. We sell as much as we raise them. At the beginning of the season, the price is high at 80,000 - 100,000 VND/kg, but in the middle of the season, it drops to 50,000 - 60,000 VND/kg, but compared to other seedlings, raising silkworms is still much more profitable.

Mr. Mai said: Unlike silkworms raised on mulberry leaves, which have small bodies, cassava silkworms are the size of an adult's index finger, with sharp thorns running along their bodies. Moreover, this type of insect is easy to raise, grows quickly, and does not require much care... Just planting a few acres of cassava can raise 8-10 batches of silkworms each year, each batch can earn at least a few million VND...".

Silkworms in the feeding period. Photo: Huyen Trang

Not far away, Mr. Bui Van Quy, in village 10, Tho Son commune, also hurriedly went to the garden to pick cassava leaves to feed the silkworms. Mr. Quy said: Cassava leaf silkworms grow very quickly because they eat a lot, on average they have to be fed 5-6 times a day. Silkworms like to eat fresh cassava leaves, but when it rains, the breeder must be very careful to shake off all the water on the leaves or they will get sick and die. Raising silkworms is easy but also difficult. Silkworms are most afraid of ants and are sensitive to the environment.

Mr. Nguyen Duy Mai, village 10, Tho Son commune, Anh Son, harvests ripe silkworms. Photo: Huyen Trang

"If there is a strange smell in the house like fabric softener, bleach, or dye, the silkworms will die from the smell, so the breeders here call silkworms a super clean food," said Mr. Quy. According to him, silkworms are insects that develop and grow at super fast speeds. They can be harvested in just 18-20 days. Everyone, young and old, can raise silkworms. On average, Mr. Quy raises 3-4 baskets of silkworms each time, and if well cared for, each basket will yield 17-20 kg. With an average price of 60,000 VND/kg, each batch, Mr. Quy earns 2.5-3 million VND in 20 days.

The reason why there are many people raising silkworms in Anh Son is because this place has a cassava material area of ​​more than 1,000 hectares. The localities with many people participating in silkworm farming are mainly the communes of Hoa Son, Hoi Son, Tuong Son, Binh Son, Tho Son... After harvesting, traders come to buy commercial silkworms on site./.

Huyen Trang