RESEARCH CONCERNING THE SPECIALISTS' OPINION ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF INTEGRATED SERICICULTURE IN FAMILY REPRODUCTION FARMS

Alexandra Matei, Agatha Popescu

Abstract
The paper aimed to identify the specialists'opinion on the development of integrated sericiculture in family reproduction farms, using the structured questionnaire based survey on a sample of 480 individuals. The family reproduction farm needs 1 ha agricultural land (50 % mulberry plantation and 50 % seed plantation, layer making field, sowing field), 150 s.m. silkworms rearing space. This farm could achieve 400 kg silk cocoons, of which the most of part could be used for producing 1,000 egg boxes and distribute them to other farmers, 10 kg cocoons for silk filament, 25 kg pupae for pharmaceutical purpose, 50 kg unreeling cocoons for producing handicrafts in the farm, 10 kg lint, 2,000 kg layer wastes for fish feeding. From the analysis of 30 integrated production variants based on this model family reproduction farm, the interviewed persons have chosen 10 variants assuring to the farmer a profit ranging between Euro 80,223 Euro and respectively Euro 126,088 in the first 8 years of activity. As a conclusion, sericiculture could become a profitable sector by practicing integrated production management.

Key words: opinion testing, integrated sericiculture, family reproduction farms