This document discusses the present situation and targets of Indian sericulture development. It notes that India is the second largest producer of raw silk globally after China, and has a distinct advantage in practicing sericulture year-round due to its tropical climate. However, it faces issues like lack of technology transfer and rural employment. The document outlines targets like rural employment creation, checking migration, and women empowerment. It also presents results showing higher net returns from mulberry sericulture compared to sugarcane, and notes research efforts to improve silk quality and productivity.

1. Indian Sericulture Development
Present Situation, Issues and Target
and Results
By: Ankita (005)
Jyoti (017)

2. Indian Sericulture Development: An Overview
• Sericulture is both an art and science of raising
silkworms for silk production.
• India is the second largest producer of raw silk
after China
• Biggest consumer of raw silk and silk fabrics
• Trends in international silk production suggests
that sericulture has better prospects for growth
• India has a distinct advantage of practicing
sericulture all through the year, yielding a stream
of about 4 – 6 crops as a result of its tropical
climate.
• It is a farm-based, labor intensive and
commercially attractive economic activity falling
under the cottage and small-scale sector
• it requires low investment but, with potential for
relatively higher returns.
• the domestic demand for silk, considering all
varieties, is nearly 25,000 MTs
• being imported mainly from China
• basically driven by multivoltine mulberry silk.

3. .
Issues Targeted:
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rural employment creation
creating new job opportunities
providing supplemental income.
checking migration
potentiality of the sector in national economy
rural development,
women empowerment
employment generation have been identified.
Mulberry Improvement
Mulberry Productivity
Mulberry Protection
Integrated Pest Management and Disease Control
Silkworm Improvement
Silkworm Productivity
Silkworm Protection
Silkworm Rearing Technology Innovation
Item
Total input
Mulberry
sericulture
Sugarcane
48,659
30,575
Gross returns
96,132
60,200
Net returns
47,476
29,625
Crop period
1 year
1 year
costs

4. Results & Benefits
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Strengths
R&D efforts have been made to improve the quality of
multivoltine silk.
States of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Maharashtra,
West Bengal ,Assam and Andhra Pradesh are being
encouraged for promoting sericulture
About 85 % of the funds for S&T come directly or indirectly
from the Government. Central Silk Board (CSB), Bangalore
under the Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India is the apex
body for overall development of sericulture and silk
industry in India.
National level R&D Institutions, State Sericulture Research
and Development Institutes, Universities, Department of
Science and Technology, Department of Biotechnology, and
other Private and International Research and Development
Institutions are being set up to promote applied research
and development of appropriate technology towards
attaining higher quality and productivity levels of Indian silk.
India V/s China: Silk Exported
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
China
61648
64567
68600
94600
102560
India
15857
17351
16319
15742
16500
Weakness
Opportunities
Threats
Large production
base, availability of
skills, land and
labour.
Gaps in technology
transfer and
extension support.
Generation of rural
employment and
reduction of
migration to urban
areas.
Falling
international
prices and heavy
dumping from
China at low
prices.
Established
infrastructure,
availability of
silkworm breeds /
hybrids.
Inadequate market
accessibility, poor
linkage among
different stake
holders.
Liberalization
policies of Govt. of
India in line with
WTO Agreements.
Unpredictability
of China’s silk
policies.
Low investment,
short gestation
period and higher
returns.
De-centralized
nature of the
industry inhibits
financial institute
from extending
financial support to
the sector.
Reduction of
production of silk
even by traditional
silk countries like
Japan, USSR etc.
Inability of the
silk industry to
react and adopt
to the changing
needs in terms of
quality both for
the domestic and
export markets.
Easily adoptable
technologies and
strong domestic
demand-pull.
Lack of quality
based pricing
system in the
market, frequent
price fluctuations
and large scale
imports from China
at low prices.
Garment exports
are on a steady
increase with huge
employment
opportunities.
Lack of
awareness in the
domestic market
to respond to the
demand-driven
milieu.