From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Jun 10: Worried over the plight of the sericulture farmers in Karnataka suffering due to sharp crash in the prices of cocoons and raw silk, the State Government is planning to take an all-party delegation to urge the Centre to hike the import duty on silk from China from the present 5 % to 31 % under the leadership of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa to Delhi shortly.

The Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had reduced the import duty on Chinese silk from 31 % to 5 % in the budget for 2011-12, which had seriously affected the livelihood of state’s sericulturists, explained Sericulture and Labour Minister B N Bache Gowda.

The Minister sasid the Chief Minister would soon lead the all-party delegation to the Centre to seek restoration of import duty on silk to the earlier level of 31 % instead of 5 % being levied now.

Consequent to reduction of import duty from 31 % to 5 %, prices of raw silk and cocoons have slumped in the State, he said.

Yeddyurappa had led an all party delegation to Delhi on March 21 to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with a similar demand and had also called on the Union Finance and Agriculture Ministers.

The Centre could not take a decision on account of elections in five states in April and May.

The State Government has released Rs 17 crore to the Karnataka Silk Marketing Board to procure cocoons from growers.

The Chief Minister has promised to release another Rs 10 crore on June 13 to arrest fall in raw silk and cocoon prices, Bache Gowda said.