Silk,  a  highly  priced  agricultural  commodity,  accounts  for  about  0.2%  of  the  total  world  production  of textile  fibre.  Since  sericulture  stands  next  to  agriculture  for  rural  employment  in  India,  it  becomes  a matter  of  concern  to  examine  the  sericulture  production  trend  over  the  years  and  reasons  for  slow growth. Sericulture is an important agro industry in Indian economy

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The strengths of Indian silk industry are:

• The 2nd largest producer of silk in the world after China;
• The largest consumer of silk in the world;
• The only country in the world that produces all 5 varieties of silk on a commercial scale;
• Holds the global monopoly for production of the famed golden ‘Muga’ silk;
• Has abundant arable land for sericulture expansion;
• Has developed world class research organization with highly qualified and experienced Scientists and Technicians;
• Posses enough skilled man power.

Challenges faced by Silk Industry in India:

• Urbanization in Traditional Sericulture Areas:
  • Along with the rapid economic development in the traditional areas of the country, the industrialization and urbanization process has accelerated significantly.
  • This, clubbed with the rising land and labour costs, are hampering the horizontal expansion of sericulture there.
• Augmentation of Bivoltine Raw Silk Production:
  • Tropicalisation and popularization of bivoltine sericulture in our country is a big challenge.
  • The bivoltine breeds alone can produce the gradable raw silk with the strength and tenacity required for our power looms.
  • However, we are unable to produce appreciable quantity of import substitute bivoltine raw silk, even to meet our own domestic demand.
  • We are dependent on imports to cater to the needs of our power looms.
• Depleting Water Table:
  • Sericulture in India is practiced in select areas that depend largely on rain.
  • Hence, water resource for irrigation has been a major concern and depleting water table is a big threat for the industry.
• Degrading Genetic Base:
  • India has a very narrow genetic base required for developing the high yielding, disease tolerant breeds with better survival under fluctuating tropical conditions.
• Unorganized nature of Sericulture:
  • The Indian sericulture continues to remain with small, marginal farmers and small reelers, unlike China which has small producers but large converters.
• Poor Credit Flow:
  • Adequate institutional credit to the needy farmers, reelers, weavers etc., would help to improve the quality and productivity, thereby increasing the net income.
• Low export earnings:
  • Due to global recession and reduced demand in western countries for silk goods. A weaker rupee is also hurting exports.
  • However, the silk exports are finding non-traditional/new markets in UAE, Nigeria, Thailand etc.
• No Quality Protection:
  • It leads to inadequate returns on hardwork of handloom workers since powerloom is much cheaper
• Declining inclination of youth towards weaving:
  • The younger generations are losing interest as one can earn the same money working at a powerloom with less stress
• Competitive pricing:
  • The blending of cheap imported Chinese silk or artificial/synthetic silk yarns putting the natural silk traders on the verge of distress sales.
• Decline in area of Cultivation:
  • Mulberry silk in the country has seen a steady decline in its area of mulberry cultivation because of rapid urbanization, industrialization and a shortage of agricultural labour.
• Piece meal approach of government
  • In terms of banning foreign silk, lack of integrated market and inadequate knowledge of sericulture amongst the traders.

Government initiatives through Central Silk Board (CSB) to revive Silk industry in India:

• Integrated Scheme for the Development of Silk Industry (CSS)
  • Central Silk Board (CSB) has been implementing a rationalized restructured Central Sector Scheme “Integrated Scheme for Development of Silk Industry” for development of sericulture in the Country.
  • It is an umbrella scheme consisting of following four components for the development of Sericulture and Silk industry.
  • The focus and emphasis are on improving production, quality and productivity of domestic silk thereby reducing the country’s dependence on imported silk.
  • The Scheme has four components –
    • Research & Development (R&D), Training, Transfer of Technology and IT Initiatives
    • Seed Organizations and farmers extension centres
    • Coordination and Market Development for seed, yarn and silk products and
    • Quality Certification System (QCS) by creating amongst others a chain of Silk Testing facilities, Farm based & post-cocoon Technology Up-gradation, and Export Brand Promotion.
  • North East Region Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS)
    • Under “North East Region Textile Promotion Scheme” (NERTPS), 24 sericulture projects are being implemented under two broad categories viz., Integrated Sericulture Development Project (ISDP) and Intensive Bivoltine Sericulture Development Project [IBSDP] covering Mulberry, Eri and Muga sectors in all North Eastern States.
    • The projects aim at holistic development of sericulture in all its spheres from plantation development to production of fabrics with value addition at every stage of production chain.
  • Sericulture is included as agriculture allied activity under RKVY. This enables the sericulturists to avail the benefits of the scheme for the entire sericulture activities up to reeling.
  • The CSB (Amendment) Act, Rules and Regulations have been notified by the Govt. of India to bring quality standards in silkworm seed production.
  • Forest Conservation Act has been amended to treat non mulberry sericulture as forest based activity enabling the farmers to undertake Vanya silkworm rearing in the natural host plantation in the forests.
  • Anti dumping duty on Chinese raw silk – The Director General of Antidumping & Allied Duties (DGAD), New Delhi has recommended imposition of antidumping duty on Chinese raw silk of 3A Grade & Below in the form of fixed duty of US$ 1.85 per Kg on the landed cost of imported raw silk
  • CDP-MGMREGA convergence guideline have been finalized and issued jointly by the MOT and MORD. These guidelines will help sericulture farmers to avail assistance from MGNREGA scheme.

Conclusion:

High Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) with potential to generate huge employment involving women, augmenting income of farmers, eco-friendly options which help in preserving the biodiversity makes Sericulture a viable option in India.