UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the South Korean Technical Collaboration Agency are together planning to grant US $400,000 to Bursa Association of Cocoon and Silk Agriculture Sales Cooperatives (Kozabirlik) so as to help its aggressive measures to revive silk industry.
Once the grant is received, Kozabirlik is all set to put plans into action immediately, which include establishing new production units and providing free silkworm eggs to manufacturers.
Ayhan Karagözoglu, General Manager, “Primarily, we need a facility where the silk thread is extracted from the cocoon. We have contacted several foundations to request grant money to build such a facility. In the near future we will have an active role in all aspects of both cocoon and silk production.”
South Korean Technical Collaboration Agency is supporting these efforts by its educational programs to increase skilled labour and productivity.
Karagözoglu also revealed plans to develop silk spinning facility in the Saricakayalar district, which will be partly funded through equity capital and remaining by grants.
“We will do all that we can to bring the level of silk and silkworm production up to that of previous years in Turkey.”, he said determinedly.