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Indian Express
14-05-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Taking the ‘silk route' in Punjab as Sericulture boosts farm income
Sericulture, once a minor allied activity in Punjab's agricultural sector, has been rapidly gaining traction and offering significant support to poor farmers and below poverty line (BPL) families, particularly empowering women. This year, silk cocoon production has seen an increase in procurement, and more farmers, especially in the state's sub-mountain regions, are getting involved. Punjab's sericulture activities — primarily practiced in one and more blocks in each of the four districts Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, and Rupnagar — have expanded significantly. For the first time, Amritsar has joined the sericulture map under the One District One Product (ODOP) initiative, with silk chosen as its flagship product. This year, Punjab has procured around 35,000 kg (35 metric tonnes) of green cocoons, surpassing last year's procurement of approximately 33,790 kg. The procurement has just concluded. In Pathankot, a major hub, 29,819 kg of cocoons have been procured, with Dharkalan and Sujanpur blocks being the primary areas for silkworm rearing. Last year, 21,976 kg was procured from this region. Hoshiarpur and Rupnagar have seen a procurement spike with 4,500 kg of cocoons being purchased, compared to 3,900 kg last year. Amritsar, where the sericulture initiative is in the early stage, has procured 256 kg of cocoons. There are now around half a dozen blocks across these five districts where silkworm rearing conditions are optimal. Nearly 1,000 farmers, of whom about 60% are women, are actively involved in sericulture in these blocks. With 13 dedicated sericulture farms and technical support from the state Horticulture Department, Punjab produces both Mulberry and Eri silk, with Tasar silk also being introduced recently. The cocoon production has seen a remarkable increase from 22.71 MT in 2017-18 to over 35 MT so far — a growth of nearly 54%. The second crop of the year is expected to arrive in September. Meanwhile, the average annual income per farmer has more than doubled — from Rs 20,000-25,000 to Rs 50,000-60,000. Vandana Sharma, a woman farmer from Dharkalan, shared that she began rearing silkworms last year, and finds it highly beneficial. In less than a month, she can earn Rs 10,000-15,000, depending on the amount of silkworms used to produce cocoons. 'I'm a poor woman, and this occupation helps me greatly. I rear silkworms in the March-April and September seasons, as it takes less than a month to rear these worms,' she said. Santosh Rani, another silkworm rearer from Dhar block, echoed similar sentiments, having 'sold around 35 kg of cocoons this season'. Emphasising the home-based nature of the work, Shami Kumar, Divisional Sericulture Officer in Sujanpur (Pathankot), said it has 'enabled women from socially disadvantaged groups to contribute significantly to family incomes and achieve financial independence.' Avtar Singh, Sericulture Farm Manager in Sujanpur, said cocoon prices have improved this year, with farmers receiving Rs 360-390 per kg, compared to Rs 290-330 per kg last year. For dry cocoons, the rate has risen to Rs 1,200 per kg. Singh said as demand for high-grade cocoons surged in 2023-24, market rates skyrocketed from Rs 550 to Rs 1,250 per kg, directly benefiting farmers. 'Sericulture is thriving under the Horticulture Department, Punjab, which subsidises silk seeds provided to BPL familieso through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives,' Singh said. 'We procure seeds from Dehradun, keep them for some time, and supply them to farmers.' Kartar Pathania, Sericulture Officer in Dharkalan, said: 'Through initiatives like Silk Samagra and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, the state is providing financial and technical support for nurseries, plantations, rearing equipment, disinfectants, training, and the construction of rearing centres. Exposure visits, awareness camps, and resource development programmes are regularly conducted to upskill farmers.' Dr Balwinder Singh and Ramandeep Kaur, sericulture officers in Hoshiarpur, said 'the government provides a 50% subsidy for shed construction for the general category and 60% for reserved categories, and special attention is given to SC/ ST families, with sericulture emerging as a reliable source of livelihood and dignity.' It is expected that a reeling unit approved for Pathankot will double the income of rearers and reduce dependence on external markets. With the introduction of Eri culture, the working season has expanded from three to up to eight months a year, resulting in a 25% increase in farmers' income and enhanced social status. Shailender Kaur, director of the Horticulture Department, said that 'the state government aims to create a full value chain by transforming raw cocoons into silk threads and finished products within the state. Streamlined marketing facilities at the government level are ensuring that farmers receive remunerative prices without exploitation. Punjab's sericulture success was recently recognised at the national level, with the state receiving a Silver SKOCH Award in 2024 for its project on 'Women Empowerment and Socio-Economic Development', she said, adding: 'The state hosted its first-ever National Silk Expo at Kisan Bhawan in Chandigarh — a milestone event that showcased local silk products and provided networking opportunities for rearers, buyers, and innovators.' The Department also unveiled a dedicated sericulture logo, reinforcing its identity and ambition to establish 'Punjab Silk' as a premium brand over the next five years. Kaur said: 'Plans are in place to boost cocoon production to 50 MT, expand plantation areas, and invest in silk thread and cloth production, as well as value-added products.'
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Fortrea Named a Leader in Everest Group's Pharmacovigilance Operations PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2025
Recognized in both pre-and post-approval pharmacovigilance operations DURHAM, N.C., May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fortrea (Nasdaq: FTRE), a leading global contract research organization (CRO), today announced it has been recognized as a 'Leader' for pharmacovigilance (PV) operations by Everest Group in its annual Pharmacovigilance Operations PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2025. Fortrea's top position was recognized in both pre-and post-approval PV operations in Everest Group's proprietary framework, which assesses market impact along with vision and capability. 'Fortrea's mission is to bring life-changing treatments to patients faster, and we have translated our profound commitment to patients into recognized leadership in pharmacovigilance,' said Mark Morais, chief operations officer and president, Fortrea Clinical Development. 'Fortrea provides global end-to-end safety solutions that span the life cycle of products from early clinical phases through post-approval. Our first-time-right approach prioritizes the needs of patients, physicians and regulatory authorities. Our customers have given us great feedback on our solutions and earning this industry recognition is a further testament to our dedicated teams.' In the Everest Group report, it assessed 29 PV operations providers featured on the PV Operations PEAK Matrix. Each provider profile provided a holistic picture of its service focus, solution offerings, and domain investments. The assessment is based on Everest Group's annual RFI process for calendar year 2024, interactions with leading PV providers, client reference checks, and an ongoing analysis of the PV operations market. 'As pharmacovigilance adapts to greater therapeutic complexity, heightened regulatory scrutiny, and increasing patient safety expectations, sponsors are turning to service provider partners that go beyond transactional delivery, seeking those who offer integrated scientific insight, forward-looking risk mitigation, and end-to-end strategic support across the product lifecycle,' said Vandana Sharma, practice director at Everest Group. 'Fortrea stands out with its dual-strength PV capabilities, offering comprehensive clinical-stage safety services built on deep domain expertise across 60+ therapeutic areas, alongside robust post-marketing operations supported by global Qualified Person Responsible for Pharmacovigilance (QPPV) coverage and technology-led innovation. Its multidisciplinary collaboration model, flexible delivery frameworks, and sustained investment in technology and partnerships across key PV functions set it apart in the market. Clients consistently recognize Fortrea's strengths in scientific depth, scalability, and global reach, earning it a Leader position in Everest Group's Pharmacovigilance Operations PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2025.' Fortrea's safety team comprises dedicated, globally based professionals, using industry-standard safety systems and proprietary automation to maximize efficiencies and address country-specific requirements. Its safety offerings include a medical contact center; case processing; medical review; aggregate reporting; safety surveillance; and QPPV support. For more information, please visit: About FortreaFortrea (Nasdaq: FTRE) is a leading global provider of clinical development solutions to the life sciences industry. We partner with emerging and large biopharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device and diagnostic companies to drive healthcare innovation that accelerates life changing therapies to patients. Fortrea provides phase I-IV clinical trial management, clinical pharmacology and consulting services. Fortrea's solutions leverage three decades of experience spanning more than 20 therapeutic areas, a passion for scientific rigor, exceptional insights and a strong investigator site network. Our talented and diverse team working in about 100 countries is scaled to deliver focused and agile solutions to customers globally. Learn more about how Fortrea is becoming a transformative force from pipeline to patient at and follow us on LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter). Fortrea Contacts:Hima Inguva (Investors) – 877-495-0816, Zaranek (Media) – 919-943-5422, media@ Dillon (Media) – 646-818-9115, kdillon@ About Everest Group Everest Group is a leading global research firm helping business leaders make confident decisions. Everest Group's PEAK Matrix® assessments provide the analysis and insights enterprises need to make critical selection decisions about global services providers, locations, and products and solutions within various market segments. Likewise, providers of these services, products, and solutions, look to the PEAK Matrix® to gauge and calibrate their offerings against others in the industry or market. Find further details and in-depth content at Disclaimer Licensed extracts taken from Everest Group's PEAK Matrix® Reports, may be used by licensed third parties for use in their own marketing and promotional activities and collateral. Selected extracts from Everest Group's PEAK Matrix® reports do not necessarily provide the full context of our research and analysis. All research and analysis conducted by Everest Group's analysts and included in Everest Group's PEAK Matrix® reports is independent and no organization has paid a fee to be featured or to influence their ranking. 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