Turkmenistan plans to maintain silkworm cocoon harvest at 2022 levels in 2023

ASHGABAT. Feb 13 (Interfax) - Turkmenistan plans to collect 2,300 tonnes of silkworm cocoons in 2023, the same level as last year.

In accordance with a presidential decree published in the Neutral Turkmenistan governmental newspaper, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection and regional administrations were ordered to "ensure the production of 2,300 tonnes of silkworm cocoons in 2023."

In particular, there are plans to collect 300 tonnes in the Akhal velayat (province), Balkan - 50 tonnes, Dashoguz - 500 tonnes, Lebap - 1,010 tonnes, Mary - 440 tonnes.

As reported, in summer 2022, Turkmen silk growers delivered over 2,300 tonnes of cocoons to the state, having fulfilled the contractual obligations to procure raw materials for the textile industry, one of the leading sectors of the domestic economy.

Silkworm breeding plays a special role in the country and silk production is developing. The Ashgabat silk-winding factory and the Turkmenabat Silk Production Association are the main processing enterprises. In the future, the state is planning to increase investment in silk production.

Between 2018 and 2021, silkworm production in the country stood at between 2,000 and 2,100 tonnes.