Topic: Sericulture For Developing The Rural Economy

Q. Why Sericulture considered having highest potential for developing the rural economy?

Silk industry plays a major role in equity distribution, as silk is mainly purchased by urban rich and around 61 percent of the final value of silk fabric is estimated to flow back to the rural farmers.

Around 60 per cent of the workers in various sericulture activities – starting from host plant cultivation and rearing of silkworms till the final production of fabric and garments– constitute women. Silk industry, is an eco-friendly, sustainable and labour intensive economic activity.

Q. What is the recent achievement of India in the field of sericulture?

India silk production has steadily grown outpacing countries like Japan and erstwhile USSR which were once the leading silk producers.

India is now the second largest producer of raw silk in the World after China, with a production of about 19,690 tonnes in 2009-10.

This accounts for 15.5 per cent of global production.

India is also credited for being the only country producing all five distinct varieties of silk, namely, Mulberry, Tasar, Oak Tasar, Eri and Muga silks, along with the largest consumer of silk, with large imports of mulberry raw silk and silk fabrics from China.

Vanya Silks such as Tasar, Eri and Muga, which is produced by the tribals from Central and North Eastern India, has shown 22 per cent growth during 2009-10 over the previous year. Vanya Silks have vast potential to be promoted as “Eco- Friendly Green Silks” and can create special market in the global market.

Q. What steps are being taken by government strengthen sericulture?

Some of the steps which have been taken towards policy intervention are:

Amending the Central Silk Board Act. The modifications inter-alia provide for quality standards for silkworm seeds, certification of silkworm seeds, quality norms for its import and export;

The Central Silkworm Seed Regulations have recently been notified for the purpose;

Anti-dumping duty has been imposed on silk yarn and fabrics imported from China which has helped to stabilize prices of silk yarn and fabric in domestic silk industry;

National Fibre Policy has been drawn wherein emphasis has been given for strengthening the R&D and improving the quality and productivity;

Sericulture has recently been included under the Rashtriya Krishi VikasYojana scheme so that the benefits hitherto enjoyed by the agriculture farmers under the above scheme is extended to sericulture farmers also;To help the small weavers, 2500 tonnes of high grade silk is being imported from China through the National Handloom Development Corporation and the same will be distributed to them at an affordable price.