Two (2) University Research Associates — Ms. Anielyn A. Pai, Unit in charge of Sericulture Tools and Machinery, and Ms. Abegail S. Marquez, Unit in charge of Promotion, and Quality Control, both of the Sericulture Research and Development Institute (SRDI) attended a month-long International Training on Post Cocoon Technology Programme. Specifically, from January 8 to February 4, 2023, the training took place at Central Silk Technological Research Institute (CSTRI), Central Silk Board, Madiwala, Bengaluru, Kartanaka, India.

Ms. Pai and Ms. Marquez were among the 20 trainees from 17 countries namely Armenia, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Nepal, Nigeria, the Philippines, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tajikistan, and Thailand.

The training included lectures, hands-on activities, and field tours.  During the lectures, they were oriented on the status of the Indian silk industry, the competency of India in the global textile industry, and role training. They further received lectures on mulberry silk reeling technology, cocoon quality grading, marketing, and price fixation; cocoon drying, sorting, and storage; technology reeling; and other related topics. They learned silk testing and grading; silk weaving; twisting technology, economics, and management of silk enterprises; silk wet processing; degumming and bleaching of silk, the technology of silk dyeing, silk printing, silk finishing; and silk exporting. After each of the lectures, the participants were exposed to related practical trainings and field tours.     (By Ayu)