Lok Sabha Question No. 1169 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-03-03
Subject: Chinese Silk Yarn in Indian Market
Ministry: TEXTILES
Asked by: C.S. PUTTARAJU, S.P. MUDDAHANUMEGOWDA

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION No. 1169 TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.03.2016

## CHINESE SILK YARN IN INDIAN MARKET

1169.   SHRI C. S. PUTTA RAJU:

SHRI S. P. MUDDAHANUME GOWDA:

Will the Minister of TEXTILES वस्त्र मंरी

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the availability of Chinese Silk Yarn in abundance in the Indian market has made it difficult to the domestic silk cocoon growers to cover up the production cost;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  protect  the  interests  of  domestic  silk  cocoon growers as also to ensure remunerative prices to them for their products?

## उत्तर

## ANSWER

## वस्त्र राज  ् य मंरी ( स्त्वतंर प्रभार ) ( श्री संतोष कु मार गंगवार )

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE)

IN THE MINISTRY OF TEXTILES (SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR GANGWAR)

(a) & (b): No, Madam. Import of raw silk from China is declining over the last few years, due to  various  efforts  taken  by  the  Government  of  India  and  State  Governments  on  Research  & Development, extension support, financial assistance etc. The raw silk production level in the country has improved significantly and the imports of raw silk from China have gone down drastically, which can be seen from the following table:-

| Year    | Raw Silk Production in India (MT)   | Raw Silk Imports from China (MT)   |
|---------|-------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
| 2011-12 | 23,060                              | 5,683                              |
| 2012-13 | 23,679                              | 4,879                              |
| 2013-14 | 26,480                              | 3,189                              |
| 2014-15 | 28,708                              | 3,315                              |
| 2015-16 | 21,222*                             | 2,310*                             |

*(up to December-2015)

- (c): The Government has been taking several measures to bring down the silk imports by enhancing  the  production  of  import  substitute,  superior  quality  bivoltine  silk such  as, development of Bivoltine hybrids and using them for production of better quality Bivoltine silk in  Southern  region  throughout  the  year,  Organizing  176  clusters  under  Cluster  Promotion Programme (CPP) to augment the production of bivoltine silk production in the country in XII Plan, setting up of Automatic Reeling Units in the country for production of 3A-4A grade raw silk from bivoltine hybrid cocoons, establishment of Raw Material Banks (RMB) for Tasar and Muga cocoons to operate floor price to ensure remunerative price to primary cocoon producers, etc.

In  addition,  the  State  Governments  in  major  silk  producing  States  like  Karnataka established institutions like Karnataka Silk Marketing Board (KSMB) in Karnataka, SERIFED in  Andhra  Pradesh  and  TANSILK  in  Tamil  Nadu  to  ensure  stabilization  of  raw  silk  prices through market interventions for getting fair prices by the farmers for mulberry cocoons.

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