India eyes larger share of global silk market

With silk production in China declining, India is at an advantage

to increase its silk production and become a key player in the international market. India’s current exports of silk stand is at Rs 2,500 crores and in the current fiscal, the production has recorded a growth of around 20 per cent over last year. The total production stood at around 23,000 tonnes in 2011-12 and this year it could cross 26,000 tonnes. India is the world’s second largest producer of silk, after China which produces 1.20 lakh tonnes every year.

The Mumbai Chapter of the Silk Mark Organization of India is promoting quality of silk by organizing Silk Mark Expo at various places in India. In order to remove the unethical trade practices from unscrupulous manufacturers and traders of cheaper substitutes, the Silk Mark Organization of India under the initiative of Ministry of Textiles, had introduced Silk Mark scheme in Pune in 2007.

While most of the silk is of mulberry variety, it is largely produced in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Jammu and Kashmir and Maharashtra. Other silk varieties include Tussar, Eri and Muga. Muga is also known as the Golden Silk and is only produced in Assam. Mulberry Silk contributes 93 per cent of the total silk production in India. The country’s own silk production is of 23,000 metric tonnes. To capture a larger market pie and promote the silk industry, Central Silk Board is also coming up with innovative products like silk denims.