The sericulture industry in Kapangan, Benguet bounces back to life after several years in slumber.

Bullish on the potential as one of the town’s main tourist attractions, the municipal government of Kapangan forged partnerships with private companies and agencies, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the barangay local government unit of Cuba, Kapangan and private individuals like former Department of Tourism (DOT) Cordillera director Venus Quinto Tan.

Sericulture is the production of raw silk by means of raising caterpillars or larvae particularly those of the domesticated silkworm. The silk is one of the materials in making clothes and other garments.

Bayo Cloth Company buys its silk from Kapangan.

In the agreement between the Kapangan LGU and BAYO, the latter buys the produce for P400 a kilo for the Class A, P350 a kilo for Class B and P300 for class C.

Bayo will also buy the produce classified as of low quality or “reject” to avoid wastage.

The Kapangan silkworm farmers will start their production from feeding the silkworms until their cocoon stage for more than two weeks.

They were told that they will be paid immediately by Bayo.

The Kapangan municipal government is encouraging the town’s sericulture farmers to prepare the rearing houses and also the mulberry trees which are the sources of food of the silk worms.

The target of Kapangan for the next cycle is February next year.