Some 20 provinces in Iran are active in silkworm breeding, of which Khorasan Razavi is considered capital of silk yarn production in the country.
Bayg county located 20 kilometers northwest Torbat Heydarieh city in Khorasan Razavi is one of the main regions involved in silkworm breeding.
Farmers in Bayg county produce silk yarns and some traditional handicraft artists utilize the yarns to continue ancient job of silk weaving art.
Basak is one of eight villages in Bayg county, where people are involved in silkworm breading.
Basak and Torbat Heydarieh were registered as the first village and city concerning silkworm breading in 2018.
An official with the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism of Khorasan Razavi Province said at that time that the province possesses more than 3,000 villages, but merely Basak is the one that has succeeded in being registered as the village of national handicrafts in silkworm breading.
During the recent New Year holidays (Nowruz), numerous tourists visited Torbat Heydarieh and Basak. Local officials and artists held different seminars in the region to introduce silkworm breading industry.
However, the silkworm breading industry and silk weaving art require more attention from regional and national officials to find a way out of danger of fading away. Moreover, investments can help enhance the industry and art through promoting such productive jobs.
A silkworm breading farmer warned that the main problem of the industry emerged when some middlemen imported cheap and low-quality silk cocoons from other countries such as China.
A director of silkworm breading company in Bayg county said that part of the problem of being underdeveloped in this industry has its roots in lack of expertise working groups to cooperate with knowledge-based companies and administrative entities.
1424
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