Silk factory in Jammu to commence production by Jan 2019

     Jammu, Oct 12 (PTI) A silk unit being set up in Jammu district will start production by January 2019, benefitting cocoon growers of the state, an official said.
     "The order for purchase of machinery has also been placed and tentative schedule of commencement of production in the unit is by January 2019", a senior officer of the SIDCO Industrial area Bari Brahmana said Friday.
    The Phase-1 of the project is coming up at a cost of Rs 50 crore and the constructed portion includes Administrative Block of EDI and shall be handed over to the department by the end of October this year, he said.
     The shed of Silk Filature costing Rs 5.60 crore is ready, he said. 
     A total of 30 machines have already been installed in the silk factory costing Rs 16 crore, he said.
     The silk project would benefit cocoon growers of the state from Kathua to Rajouri belt as all the cocoon production in the state is attributed to this belt. Around 70 per cent of the cocoon produced in the state is purchased by buyers from West Bengal and Karnataka in open auctions, the official said. PTI AB SHW MR