Lam Dong Promotes Sustainable Development of the Sericulture Industry
With favorable climate and soil conditions for agricultural production, Lam Dong Province is steadily affirming its position as one of Vietnam’s largest sericulture hubs.
Alongside expanding cultivation areas, the province is focusing on building value-chain linkages, applying high technology and proactively developing breeding sources to move toward sustainable growth for the mulberry and silk industry.
Building Value Chains from Raw Material Areas
According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment, Lam Dong currently has around 10,600 hectares of mulberry plantations, with an average annual growth rate of 6.7%.
Of the total area, more than 8,200 hectares are planted with hybrid mulberry varieties and new varieties, accounting for over 77%. High-tech cultivation areas exceed 2,000 hectares, involving approximately 17,000 farming households. Total cocoon output across the province has reached more than 15,456 tons.
Mulberry cultivation and silkworm farming are considered suitable for local production conditions, as farmers can utilize riverside land and low-efficiency farmland for mulberry growing. Compared to many other crops, sericulture requires lower investment costs and offers faster capital recovery, contributing to job creation and improved incomes for farmers.
From cultivating mulberry trees and raising silkworms to supplying silkworm breeds and purchasing cocoons from local farmers, many farming households across the province have boldly invested in modern silk-reeling facilities to enhance the value of the sericulture industry.
Vu Thi Tuy, from Dam Rong 3 Commune, said that after many years of working in mulberry cultivation and silkworm farming, her family invested in building a silk-reeling factory to create stable outlets for local farmers while increasing the value of silk products.
Located in Dak Mang Hamlet, Dam Rong 3 Commune, the factory covers an area of approximately 2,400 square meters with total investment exceeding VND 21 billion. The facility is equipped with automated silk-reeling systems, steam boilers, cocoon cooking machines, drying areas and synchronized technical, fire prevention and storage systems.
Each day, the factory consumes between 1.5 and 1.6 tons of silkworm cocoons, mainly purchased from local farmers and neighboring areas. At its current capacity, the facility provides stable employment for around 130 workers, most of whom are ethnic minority residents, with monthly incomes ranging from VND 8 million to VND 9 million per person.
According to estimates, the factory produces more than 36 tons of silk annually, requiring nearly 300 tons of raw cocoons. To ensure a stable supply, the facility has established linkages with cooperative groups, cooperatives and purchasing agents to develop sustainable raw material zones.
Pham Phi Long, Head of the provincial Sub-Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health, said technical advances in silkworm cocoon farming have now been widely adopted by local farmers, helping reduce labor costs and improve economic efficiency.
The province currently has around 78 concentrated young silkworm-rearing facilities in localities such as the former Lam Ha, Da Teh and Dam Rong areas. These centralized rearing models have proven highly effective in meeting production demands.
In addition to developing raw material zones, Lam Dong’s sericulture sector has gradually established a relatively synchronized value-chain network. The province now has around 152 cocoon purchasing facilities and 36 silk-reeling facilities equipped with modern production and processing lines.
Production and consumption linkages have contributed to improving the quality of cocoons and silk products, enhancing market competitiveness and creating stable outlets for farmers.
Toward Sustainable Development
According to Pham Phi Long, despite positive achievements, Lam Dong’s sericulture industry still faces numerous challenges.
One of the major difficulties is the shortage of high-quality silkworm eggs. Annual demand within the province is estimated at around 400,000 to 450,000 boxes, while domestic production remains limited in terms of quality, productivity and price competitiveness compared to imported sources.
Mechanization in production also remains limited, with many stages still carried out manually, especially mulberry cultivation and harvesting. In addition, silkworm farming is highly dependent on weather conditions, while investment resources for the industry remain modest and largely reliant on socialized funding, resulting in underdeveloped production infrastructure.
To ensure sustainable development, Lam Dong aims to maintain and expand stable raw material areas linked with silk reeling, silk weaving and environmental protection.
By 2030, the province targets approximately 12,000 hectares of mulberry cultivation, including 10,000 hectares planted with hybrid and new mulberry varieties.
The province will continue expanding specialized cultivation zones in suitable areas while converting low-efficiency crop land into mulberry plantations to secure raw materials for processing activities. At the same time, investment in technical equipment and research capacity will be strengthened to proactively develop high-quality silkworm breeding sources for production.
The agricultural sector will also continue promoting the application of science and technology in young silkworm rearing and disease prevention, while building synchronized commodity production chains from mulberry and silkworm breeding to product consumption. Policies supporting farmers engaged in mulberry cultivation and silkworm farming will also be further improved.
With its existing advantages and long-term development orientation, Lam Dong’s sericulture industry is gradually increasing added value and moving toward building a high-quality silk brand, contributing to improved incomes for rural residents and sustainable agricultural development.