Mike, so you're assuming the 'stages of production' directly relate to the stages of the silkworm lifecycle? I realize the lifecycle is involved, but if I wanted to test production, I'm not sure I would want to define stages where I have to wait on the worms to feed, grow, etc... when that is well defined. Economies of scale can surely be tested without 'redoing' what's been in the making for thousands of years. UNLESS, they have some new aspect of the lifecycle of course. Reducing it in some way perhaps.
Perhaps the stages relate to production aspects as opposed to just the lifecycle of the silkworm. Maybe stage one of production was to define / test the process of modifying the eggs on a large scale? Maybe stage two was to test the process of getting eggs to cocoons on a large scale. Perhaps stage three is the process of getting cocoons to thread on a large scale?
Or the stages could be other aspects of scaling up besides just the worm. We have been given some information related to status of worms, but not any details of production scale up really.
I'm not sure that creating a pilot production program involves only the worms cycle.
I'm just curious because I question time frames directly relating to the lifecycle.
IMHO