China, Uzbekistan foster prosperous cooperation on sericulture

For centuries, camel caravans transported Chinese silk and local specialties along the Silk Road. Today, Chinese silkworm eggs are exported to Uzbekistan, forging new connections and narratives on the Eurasian continent.

The autumn cocooning process for silkworms is drawing to a close at the silkworm breeding center of the Institute of Sericulture and Tea, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, in Hangzhou city, east China's Zhejiang Province.

"We carry out two to four seasons of silkworm breeding every year, and select varieties for export to Uzbekistan for trial breeding," said Du Xin, an associate researcher at the institute.

Located in the heartland of Central Asia, Uzbekistan was an important stop on the ancient Silk Road and has a long history of sericulture. It is the world's third-largest producer of raw silk.

Uzbekistan achieves a bumber harvest of a new silkworm variety. (Photo courtesy of Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences)

Under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China and Uzbekistan have been strengthening their cooperation in various sectors. Zhejiang, known for its significant silk cocoon production, possesses distinct technological expertise and market resources. It has fostered close trade and technical exchanges in the silk industry with Uzbekistan.

A variety of disease-resistant silkworms, developed by the institute has been widely promoted and applied in Uzbekistan, thanks to its strong resistance to disease, high yield, and high quality.

From 2013 to 2023, Zhejiang Tongxiang Sericulture Co., Ltd. in Tongxiang city, a county-level city in Zhejiang, exported a total of 1.18 million sheets of silkworm eggs to Uzbekistan. Silkworm eggs are measured in sheets, with each sheet capable of hatching 25,000 silkworms.

"Uzbekistan, situated inland at a mid-latitude, possesses traditional silkworm varieties well-adapted to cold and dry conditions. The country also benefits from favorable costs related to land resources and labor. China excels in silkworm breeding technology, with its Zhejiang Province producing superior varieties with high quality and yield. This presents a valuable opportunity for both countries to capitalize on their respective strengths," said Wang Yongqiang, the institute’s director.

The institute is focusing on four key areas to promote China-Uzbekistan cooperation on sericulture.

This includes selecting appropriate silkworm varieties for Uzbekistan, developing technologies for the promotion of these varieties, establishing demonstration bases in Uzbekistan's main silkworm breeding areas, and conducting training programs for local technicians.

Cooperation between Chinese and Uzbek research institutes in the sericulture industry has been ongoing for several years in Uzbekistan under the BRI, said Shamsiddinov Navruzbek, director of Institute of Sericulture and Tea, Uzbekistan, during a visit to the Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences days ago.

This collaboration has resulted in the optimization of silkworm varieties and advancements in genetic analysis technology. It has also attracted investment from enterprises and increased the incomes of silkworm farmers. The positive effects of this cooperation are not limited to agriculture, as it is expected to benefit industries such as cosmetics and biomedicine, he added.