Evaluation of raw silk production efficiency of different reeling systems in Chikkaballapur and Kolar districts of Karnataka

Abstract

The present investigation evaluated the performance efficiency of different silk reeling systems operating in Chikkaballapur and Kolar districts of Karnataka, with emphasis on cocoon utilization, raw silk production, renditta and raw silk per cent. Four reeling systems used for crossbreed cocoons, namely Charaka, Cottage Basin, Italian Model Cottage Basin (IMCB) and Multi-End Reeling Machine (MERM), and two mechanized systems for bivoltine cocoons, MERM and Automatic Reeling Machine (ARM), were assessed under field conditions. In crossbreed cocoon reeling, Charaka units utilized 33.78 kg cocoons per day and produced 4.34 kg raw silk with a renditta of 7.78 and raw silk recovery of 12.90 per cent. Cottage Basin units showed higher productivity with 87.32 kg cocoon utilization and 11.32 kg raw silk production, while improving renditta to 7.71. IMCB units further reduced renditta to 7.40 and recorded higher silk recovery of 13.53 per cent. Among crossbreed systems, MERM performed best by utilizing 105.75 kg cocoons per day to produce 14.43 kg raw silk with the lowest renditta of 7.33 and the highest raw silk recovery of 13.66 per cent, indicating a 5.78 per cent improvement over Charaka. In bivoltine cocoon reeling, ARM recorded a lower renditta of 6.34 and higher raw silk recovery of 15.79 per cent compared to MERM, reflecting the benefits of automation and precise control. The study clearly demonstrates that mechanization significantly improves silk reeling efficiency and productivity.