To index an inspiring growth in regard to the production of quality and productivity of raw silk and to elevate India in to International market the Cluster Promotion Programme (CPP) was implemented at Hindupur, Ananthapuram District for 10 years i.e. from April, 2009 to March, 2019 under XI and XII five year plans. The Central Silk Board (CSB) and state sericulture departments, have jointly organised 174 clusters all over India i.e. 102 clusters in 5 states of Southern zone, 45 in 5 states of North-western zone, 11 in 3 states of Central Western Zone, 7 in 3 states of Eastern zone and 9 in 8 states of North Eastern Zone, respectively. Out of 102 clusters in Southern India 46 clusters were implemented in Karnataka, 28 clusters in Tamil Nadu, 17 clusters in Andhra Pradesh, 4 in Maharashtra whereas 2 in Kerala with an anticipated brushing of 167.06 lakh disease free layings (DFLs) and generate 1920MT of bivoltine raw silk. Out of the 17 clusters of Andhra Pradesh considered to organise under South nodal office of Regional Sericultural Research Station, Central Silk Board, Ananthapur, Andhra Pradesh, Hindupur has been recognised as one of the potential clusters to implement CPP. The ten years efforts of CPP implementation at Hindupur cluster has yielded significantly increasing order of DFLs distribution from the bench mark level of 0.48 lakh (2008-09) to 1.27 lakh during 2009-10, 1.50 in 2010-11, 2.01 in 2011-12, 2.02 in 2012-13, 2.15 in 2013-14,. 2.66 in 2014-15, 4.03 in 20015-16, in 6.88 in 2016-17, 10.15 in 2017-18 and 11.15 lakh in 2018-19, respectively with a thumping increase of DFLs distribution as against the bench mark status of 164.6% to 2222.9% and more than 52.9% increase against the targeted DFLs distribution. In regard to improvement of cocoon yield, 53.8 kg/100 dfls during 2009-10, 60.0 kg in 2010-11, 61.5 kg in 2011-12, 61.80 kg in 2012-13, 63.5 kg in 2013-14, 64.2 kg in 2014-15, 64.9 kg in 2015-16, 69.1 kg in 2016-17, 76.0 kg in 2017-18 and 75.9 kg/100 dfls during 2018-19 as against the bench mark level 42kg/100 DFLs (2008-09) followed by the initiation of CPP activity under the cluster area registering time after time in the growing order. Yield of cocoon was noticed from 41.0% to 76.0% increase over bench mark yield (42.0%). The CPP impact has also promoted in fetching the average market rate by the farming community ranging from Rs. 275.0 to 471.0 with a progressive increase of 1.82% to 44.64% responding very positively against efforts made in implementing the CPP activities by the state and central scientists and field functionaries.
