KAMPALA - Uganda is set to join the world's top producers of silk-worm once the 1,000 hectare Kisozi silk-rearing project starts production next year.
The Iran Agro Industrial Group initiated project will be producing close to 1,500 metric tones of Silk, similar to Iran, currently ranked fifth in silk production in the world. China tops the charts followed by India, Thailand and South Korea.
The USD$9million investment that is currently employing over 500 people will boost the silk product manufacturing plants in Iran.
"We have so far planted over 5,000 mulberry trees that are instrumental in silk rearing. We are using so far 1,000 hectares of the 14,000 hectare farm in Kisozi for silk rearing," said Mohammad Ali Mousavi, the Chairman Iran Uganda Establishments.
He told East African Business Week at the just concluded Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA) International Trade fair at Lugogo that once production starts, Uganda will be exporting silk worth USD$200,000 (Shs560m) each year.
He said Iran decided to invest in Uganda due to the good weather and market opportunities.
"Rearing of silk in Iran is becoming so hard due to expensive land and space. Whereas we can produce silk seven times a year in Uganda, in Iran it is twice a year. That means we can produce more here," said Mousavi.
"We have the capacity of producing 30 bags of egg worms from just one hectare of land," explained Mousavi.
Silk, a natural protein fiber can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae that feed on leaves of the mulberry tree.
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