KANPUR, Jan. 16 -- In a quiet transformation across rural Kanpur, hundreds of farmers are adding an unlikely crop to their fields: silkworms. Villages in Ghatampur, Patara and Bhitargaon, where sericulture was virtually unknown five years ago, are now producing eri and mulberry silk that reaches markets as far as Gujarat and West Bengal.

The shift comes as farmers seek alternatives to offset the fluctuating incomes from their crops. Silk rearing, with its short production cycles and assured buyers, has emerged as a practical solution. Officials say training support and direct market access have helped the activity take root.

Around 600 farmers in the district are currently engaged in eri and mulberry silk production, with a visible impa...