Sericulture has been practiced profitably in Pakistan for a long time by a large number of rural people. It has, however, not gone beyond a minor cottage industry due to lack of knowledge of modern and scientific techniques for production of commercial silk seed, absence of adequate mulberry plantations, non-existence of local training facilities and constraints in processing and marketing of silk cocoons and raw silk. The prices of cocoons also fluctuate considerably from year to year, thus adversely affecting economic returns to the farmers.