According to recent data from the Ministry of Textiles(MoT), India’s silk production and exports have shown a consistent rise from 2017–18 to 2023–24. This upward trend highlights India’s growing capacity in sericulture and its enhanced role in the global silk market
- India is the second-largest silk producer after China and also the largest consumer of silk globally, with the industry holding significant historical, cultural, and economic importance.
About Silk:
i.Silk is a thread that connects India’s history, tradition and art. They are made from silkworms that eat mulberry leaves.
ii.Silkworms spin cocoons, which are then processed into silk threads and woven into fabric. The process of farming silkworms to make silk is called Sericulture.
iii.Types of Silk in India:
1.Mulberry Silk:
- Produced by silkworms that exclusively feed on mulberry leaves.
- 92% of India’s total raw silk production comes from this type.
- Main production states: Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh(AP), Tamil Nadu(TN), Jammu & Kashmir(J&K), and West Bengal(WB).
2.Non-Mulberry Silk:
- Produced by wild silkworms that feed on leaves from trees like oak, castor, and arjun.
- Main production states: Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and the northeastern states of India.
India’s Silk Market Overview:
i.India’s raw silk production increased from 31,906 Million Tonnes(MT) in 2017-18 to 38,913 MT in 2023-24.
ii.Silk and silk goods exports grew from Rs.1,649.48 crores in 2017-18 to Rs.2,027.56 crores in 2023-24.
iii.This growth is supported by the expansion of mulberry plantations from 223,926 hectares(ha) in 2017-18 to 263,352 ha in 2023-24, which boosted mulberry silk production from 22,066 MT in 2017-18 to 29,892 MT in 2023-24.
iv.As per Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCIS) reports, India exported 3348 MT of silk waste in 2023-24.
Government Schemes in Silk Development:
i.The Silk Samagra Scheme, launched in 2017, is a government program to boost silk production in India by improving quality and productivity, while also helping poor and backward families through sericulture activities. The scheme comprises four major Components:
- Research & Development, Training, Transfer of Technology and Information technology(IT) Initiatives,
- Seed Organizations,
- Coordination and Market Development and
- Quality Certification Systems (QCS) / Export Brand Promotion and Technology Up-gradation.
ii.Silk Samagra-2 is an extension of the above effort with a budget of Rs. 4,679.85 crores for the period 2021-22 to 2025-26
iii.The various other schemes are:
- The Raw Material Supply Scheme (RMSS), formerly known as the Yarn Supply Scheme (YSS), is being implemented from 2021-22 to 2025-26 to provide quality yarn and blends to eligible handloom weavers at subsidized rates.
- The National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP), active from 2021-22 to 2025-26, supports handloom weavers, including silk producers, through need-based assistance.
- The Scheme for Capacity Building in Textile Sector Scheme (SAMARTH) scheme, launched in 2017 by the Ministry of Textiles, is a demand-based, job-focused training program. It has been extended for two years (2024-25 and 2025-26) with a budget of Rs.495 crores to train 3 lakh people in the textile sector.
