Giridhar Parvatham photo credit: SPECIAL PROVISIONS
Director of the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) Giridhar Parvatham highlighted the potential of discarded silkworm cocoons as livestock feed with high nutritional value.
Dr. Speaking at the Reshme Krishi Mela jointly organized by the Central Sericultural Research and Training Institute (CSRTI) and the Department of Sericulture, Government of Karnataka, in Mysuru on Tuesday, Parvatham said that silkworm cocoons consist of about 14-23% shell which produces raw silk, while the remaining 80% is cocoon waste, mostly discarded.
“Dried silkworm cocoons contain 55-60% protein, 30-35% lipids and minor amounts of carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Lipids are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids (α-linolenic acid), which are important for cardiovascular and brain health,” he said.
Dr. Parvatham said the abundant availability of fodder sources, especially culled silkworms, should be used wisely while exploring non-conventional fodder options for livestock. With rising prices of oilseeds and meal, he said there is a need for cost-effective and safe animal feed to meet consumer demand for animal products.
In a year, India produces about 256,000 tons of wet pupae, which can serve as highly nutritional feed for livestock and can be used to prepare protein and fat bypass for fish and poultry.
Referring to a study conducted to evaluate the use of silkworm pupae as a poultry feed ingredient, the CFTRI director noted that up to 4% cuticle-free pupae and 10.5% defatted cuticle-free pupae improved feed conversion ratio and body weight gain.
“Histopathological studies revealed that whole silkworm pupae (with cuticle) adversely affected the mucosal and submucosal lining of the small intestine, while silkworm pupae showed almost no such effects. Research on silkworm pupae in laying hen feed shows replacement of 2% to 4% of whole pupae without cuticle and 10% of pupae without cuticle, 10% soybean meal, does not adversely affect egg production, weight or nutritional quality over 12 weeks,” he said.
Dr. Parvatham pointed out that the global silkworm cocoon market is experiencing steady growth, driven by high demand for silk in textiles, cosmetics and biomedical applications, with a projected market value exceeding $1.8 billion by 2033.
He said the industry is expanding at a CAGR of roughly 5-7%, with China and India dominating both production and consumption. India and China together produce nearly 94-95% of the world’s raw silk. India is second only to China, followed by Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Thailand and Brazil.
Published – March 4, 2026 7:37 PM IST
