CAIRO, May 29 (MENA) – Prime Minister Dr Mostafa Madbouli instructed the ministries of agriculture and local development to submit a detailed plan on national silk demand, particularly for carpet production, adding that the state will provide the needed support.

These remarks came during the Prime Minister's meeting with Manal Awad, Minister of Local Development, El Sayed el Quseir, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation; Major General Mohamed El-Zamlout, Governor of New Valley; and Basil Rahmy, CEO of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA).

During the meeting, they reviewed the progress of natural silk projects led by the New Valley Governorate. So far, 32 equipped labs and 344 feddans of mulberry trees have been cultivated, along with 14 greenhouses and 25 ongoing projects.

Training programs for graduates and small farmers have been conducted in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and the FAO, alongside the planting of 31,000 mulberry trees.

The government aims to establish silk production hubs across various governorates. A pilot project on 77 feddans in Qena's forested land has been launched, aiming to create over 8,000 jobs.

The national plan involves collaboration among several ministries, local authorities, the private sector, and research bodies to expand silk farming, improve processing, and support domestic production. (MENA)

H A T/R G E