Sericulture in India: The Past, Present and Future

New Delhi: India is the second-largest producer of silk in the world, and sericulture plays a significant role in the country’s rural economy. The industry employs around 9.76 million people in rural and semi-urban areas.

The sericulture activities in India are spread across 52,360 villages. India produces four types of natural silks: Mulberry, Eri, Tasar, and Muga. The country produces silk garments, made-ups, fabrics, yarns, carpets, shawls, scarves, cushion covers, and accessories through the raw material.

As per various reports, during April-December 2021, India produced 26,587 metric tonnes (MT) of silk. The total silk production in India during 2021-2022 was 34,903 MT, an increase of 3.4% YoY over the previous year (33,770 MT). The share of mulberry production is the largest among other types of silk produced in the country.

The major silk-producing states in the country are Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. Karnataka contributed around 32% of the total silk production in the country during 2021-22. This was followed by Andhra Pradesh which had a share of 25% in the overall silk production during 2021-22.

Strong exports

Sericulture is one of the largest foreign exchange earners for the country. The silk fabrics and made ups, and silk readymade garments are the most exported silk products from India with 2021-22 exports share of 45.3%, and 36.3%, respectively. The share of other products in India’s total silk exports are as follows – silk waste (11.3%), silk carpets (4.3%), and natural silk yarn (2.8%). India enjoys a unique global position in terms of production and exports of all the commercially useful varieties of silk and the government has initiated various trade shows and fairs in order to promote the exports of silk products across the world.

India’s silk and silk products are highly demanded throughout the world. The country exports to more than 30 countries in the world. Some of the top importers are USA, UAE, China, UK, Australia, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Malaysia, Nepal, Japan, Belgium, Canada, South Africa, and Singapore.

USA is the top importer of silk products from India with a share of 24.3% as of 2021-22. UAE was the second largest importer of Indian silk after USA, with a share of 22.6%. These countries are followed by China, Australia, and UK which have 9.1%, 5%, and 4.7% of the total exports share, respectively.

Silk carpets constituted the majority of share in the exports to USA, with 40% of all the silk products. This was followed by readymade garments which constituted 33% of the total. Natural silk yarn, fabrics, and made ups were 27% of the total share exported to USA.

Natural silk yarn, fabrics, and made ups comprised the majority of the products exported to UAE with a share of 55%% in the total exported products. Silk carpets constituted 25.8% and silk readymade garments constituted 19.2% of the total exported products to UAE. Silk waste was the major product exported to China with a share of 92.1% of the total exported products.

Government initiatives

Realizing the huge employability potential spawning across the value chain of the silk industry, the Government of India established the Central Silk Board (CSB). With low capital requirement and remunerative nature of production from rural on-farm and off-farm activities, silk industry provides employment to 9.4 million people in rural and semi-urban areas.

The government has implemented various schemes and programs to support sericulture farmers. For the development and growth of the silk industry in India, the government has implemented several research & development, training, transfer of technology and IT initiatives. The focus is to develop new technologies, train more workforce, provide education, and enhance connectivity between scientists, experts, and developers.

There are various schemes such as the Sericulture Development in North-Eastern States (NERTPS), Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP), Silk Samagra and Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan (SCSP) are implemented for the development of the industry. Silk Samagra Silk Samagra is an Integrated Scheme for Development of Silk Industry (ISDSI) which the Government of India introduced through CSB. This scheme will have a total outlay of Rs. 2,161.68 crore (US$ 272.8 million) for 3 years (2017-18 to 2019-20) and is aimed at the complete development of the silk industry in India. This scheme will aid in scaling up silk production by improving the quality and productivity. Sericulture Development in the North-Eastern States (NERTPS).

The Government of India has launched the sericulture development scheme within an umbrella scheme, namely “North-East Region Textile Promotion scheme”. The objective of this scheme is the revival, expansion, and diversification of sericulture in the state with a special focus on Eri and Muga silks.

Challenges to be addressed

Despite its historical significance and economic importance, the sericulture industry in India faces challenges such as disease outbreaks among silkworms, fluctuations in cocoon prices, competition from synthetic fabrics, and technological advancements affecting demand for silk.

Sericulture farmers may face challenges such as disease outbreaks among silkworms, fluctuating cocoon prices, lack of access to modern technology and infrastructure, and competition from synthetic fabrics. Integration with Weavers: In some cases, sericulture farmers are closely connected to handloom weavers. The silk produced by sericulture farmers is often used by weavers to create a wide range of silk textiles and products.

Outlook

As per Research & Markets, the Indian sericulture market size reached Rs 451.6 Billion in 2022. The experts at the consulting firm project the market to reach Rs 1,194.5 Billion by 2028, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 17.7% during 2023-2028.

Sericulture is a significant source of livelihood in many rural areas of the country.

Such farming provides direct employment and income to farmers and their families. It is often a seasonal activity, with specific periods dedicated to various stages of silkworm rearing. The sector has been practiced for generations in many regions of India, and there is a wealth of traditional knowledge and expertise among sericulture farmers regarding silkworm rearing and cocoon production.

With growing emphasis on sustainable and eco-friendly practices in the sericulture industry, the focus on organic silk production and responsible supply chain management. The technology interventions could further work wonders for this niche industry.