Proposal the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Industry and Trade facilitate silkworm seed imports

Illustrative photo.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development received Official Letter No.15/ĐDBQH-PC dated February 10, 2020 of the National Assembly Delegation of Lam Dong on the consideration and support in supplying silkworm eggs; Official Letter No. 02/CV-HH dated February 14, 2020 of the Vietnam Mulberry Association on removing difficulties in silk production in Central Highlands provinces as well as in Lam Dong.

On February 19, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development held a meeting with relevant units on the issue.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the silkworm has two main types, including white silkworm cocoon seed for high silk quality and yellow silkworm cocoon seed for lower quality, mainly developed in northern provinces. Over the years, Vietnam has been proactive in breeding yellow silkworm cocoon seed.

Lam Dong and the Central Highland provinces mainly breed white silkworm cocoon seeds, but domestic supply only meets about 10 percent of demand, while 90 percent is imported from China via Quang Ninh and Lang Son provinces.

In recent years, the productions and trading of silkworm products has developed well. Lam Dong is the leading province in the country in terms of output of mulberry products, accounting for 80 percent of the whole country with more than 8,500 ha of mulberry and 15,000 mulberry planting households, including nearly 200 concentrated silkworm rearing facilities.

Due to the impact of Covid-19, silkworm breeders can not import the white silkworm cocoon seed for production, face difficulties and suffer great losses in investment for mulberry growing.

To remove difficulties in supplying silkworm seed sources, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has requested ministries, sectors, the National Steering Committee 389 andprovincial People's Committees to consider and facilitate silkworm seed import for the development of Vietnam's silkworm industry.