Lok Sabha Question No. 384 (STARRED), answered on 2019-07-19
Subject: Status of Sericulture
Ministry: TEXTILES
Asked by: Naranbhai Bhikhabhai Kachhadiya, Parbatbhai Savabhai Patel

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION No. *384 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.07.2019

## STATUS OF SERICULTURE

## *384. SHRI NARANBHAI KACHHADIYA: SHRI PARBATBHAI SAVABHAI PATEL:

Will the Minister of TEXTILES वस्त्र मंरी be pleased to state:

- a) the status of sericulture in the country;
- b) the ranking of India in silk production in the world; and
- c) the manner in which the Government is encouraging production and export of more silk to benefit farmers engaged in sericulture?

## उत्तर

## ANSWER

वस्त्र मंरी ( श्रीमती स्त्म ृ तत ज़ूबिन इरानी )

MINISTER OF TEXTILES (SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

- (a) to (c): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *384 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.07.2019.

(a) & (b): India is the second largest producer of silk in the world. The total raw  silk  production  in  the  country  increased  by  10.52%  (35,261  Metric Tonne(MT))  during  2018-19  over  the  previous  year  2017-18  (31,906  MT). Among the four varieties of silk produced in 2018-19, Mulberry accounts for 71.50%  (25,213  MT),  Tasar  8.44%  (2,977  MT),  Eri  19.40%  (6,839  MT)  and Muga 0.66% (232 MT) of the provisional total raw silk production of 35,261 MT. The variety-wise raw silk production in the county during last three years is given below:

(In Metric Tonne)

| Particulars            | 2016-17   |   2017-18 |   2018-19 (Provisional) |
|------------------------|-----------|-----------|-------------------------|
| Mulberry (Bivoltine)   | 5,266     |      5874 |                    6911 |
| Mulberry (Cross breed) | 16,007    |     16192 |                   18302 |
| Tasar                  | 3,268     |      2988 |                    2977 |
| Eri                    | 5,637     |      6660 |                    6839 |
| Muga                   | 170       |       192 |                     232 |
| Total                  | 30,348    |     31906 |                   35261 |

(c): Central Silk Board (CSB), a statutory body under the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India is encouraging production and export of silk.  To benefit farmers  engaged  in  sericulture,  CSB  is  implementing  a  restructured  Central Sector Scheme 'Silk Samagra', which mainly focuses on improving quality and productivity  of  domestic  silk  thereby  reducing  the  country's  dependence  on imported  silk. Under  the  scheme,  assistance  is  extended  to  sericulture stakeholders  for  the  beneficiary  oriented  components  like,  raising  of  Kissan Nursery,  Plantation with improved  Mulberry  varieties, Irrigation,  Chawki Rearing  Centres  with  incubation  facility,  construction  of  rearing  houses, rearing equipment,  door to  door  service agents  for  disinfection  and input supply, support for Improved reeling units like Automatic Reeling units, multiend Reeling machines, Improved Twisting machines and support for post yarn facilities for quality Silk and fabric production.

Under  North  East  Region  Textile  Promotion  Scheme  (NERTPS),  38 Sericulture  projects  are  being  implemented  in  all  North  East  States  in  the identified  potential  districts  under  three  broad  categories  viz . ,  Integrated Sericulture  Development  Project  (ISDP)  and  Intensive  Bivoltine  Sericulture Development  Project  (IBSDP)  and  Aspirational  District. Objective  of  these projects is to establish sericulture as viable commercial activity in North East Region by creating necessary infrastructure and imparting skills to the locals for silkworm rearing and allied activities in the value chain.

Steps taken to promote silk production and exports of silk:

- i. Production  of  Bivoltine  Silk: Bivoltine  silk  is  the  high  quality mulberry  silk  produced  in  India  as  an  import  substitute  silk. Research and Development has been focused to evolve productive bivoltine hybrids and package of practices for production of high quality bivoltine silk in the country.
- ii. Strengthening the Research and Development system to improve the levels  of  cocoon  production  and  productivity  to  develop improved  mulberry/  host  plant  varieties,  silkworm  hybrids  and technology packages.
- iii. Cold Storage facilities and Bivoltine grainages have been strengthened  to produce,  store and  supply  quality Bivoltine silkworm seed.
- iv. For production  of 3A-4A  grade  raw  Silk  from  the  bivoltine cocoons,  Automatic  Reeling  Machines  (ARM)/Units  have  been established in the country.
- v. Central  Silk  Board  and  State  Governments  mobilize  additional funds for sericulture development through convergence by availing  the  schemes  such  as  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) etc., being implemented by various other Ministries of Government  of  India  to  create required infrastructure at stakeholder's level.
- vi. To make the domestic silk weaving market segment stronger and also  Indian  silk  export  sector  highly  competitive,  basic  customs duty of 10% and 20% is levied on raw silk and silk fabric import respectively.
- vii. Thrust  provided  on  product  development  &  diversification  with focus on silk blends and popularizing Vanya silk products in the export business.
- viii. Steps have been taken to promote and establish ''Indian Silk'' as a brand  in  the  global  market  through  generic  promotion  &  to promote Indian Silk with the ''Silk Mark Tag'' to create a  Brand image of Indian Silk.

*****