India Targets Global No. 1 Position in Silk Production by 2028-29: Union Minister Giriraj Singh.
Union Minister calls for ‘Best Silk Farmer’ competitions; Karnataka remains the leading silk-producing state.
Bengaluru:
Union Minister for Textiles Giriraj Singh said the Central Government is committed to expanding India’s sericulture sector and improving the economic condition of silk farmers, with an ambitious goal of making the country the world’s leading silk producer by 2028-29.
Singh made the remarks while inaugurating the 77th Foundation Day programme of the Central Silk Board (CSB) and an exhibition showcasing silk products and technologies at the UAS-GKVK auditorium in Bengaluru on Sunday. Union Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Labour and Employment Shobha Karandlaje also attended the programme.
According to the Minister, India’s silk production has increased from around 26,000 metric tonnes in 2014 to 42,000 metric tonnes at present. The Government has set a target of increasing production to 60,000 metric tonnes by 2030-31, while also aiming to achieve the number-one position globally in silk production by 2028-29.
Singh said efforts are being made to increase the productivity of mulberry leaves and expand cocoon-rearing cycles, with the objective of raising the annual income of sericulture farmers to between ₹10 lakh and ₹12 lakh.
‘Best Silk Farmer’ competitions proposed
The Union Minister called for the organisation of ‘Best Silk Farmer’ award competitions at the district, state and national levels to encourage healthy competition and motivate sericulture farmers to adopt improved practices.
He stressed the need to ensure that innovations developed by scientists, improved hybrid varieties and modern machinery reach farmers directly. Singh also highlighted the growing international demand for Indian silk, noting that the Government is seeking to strengthen the entire value chain—from sericulture and cocoon production to reeling and weaving.
He said strengthening the silk sector is part of the broader objective of expanding India’s textile market to $300 billion and providing minimum economic security to weavers and workers associated with the industry.
Karnataka leads India’s silk production
Shobha Karandlaje said Karnataka holds the leading position in India’s total silk production and noted that the Government is focusing on infrastructure development and industrial growth to further strengthen the sector.
She said modern technologies and high-density production methods are being promoted to produce silk meeting global export standards. These measures, she added, are expected to increase domestic production and reduce dependence on imports.
Karandlaje also highlighted the growing participation of entrepreneurs under the MSME framework and said the Government is implementing subsidy and quality-improvement schemes to support businesses. Providing better market access to local producers and creating employment opportunities in the sericulture and textile sectors are among the key objectives, she said.
AI, GIS and machine learning to support production
Padmini Singla, Joint Secretary (Silk), Ministry of Textiles and Vice Chairperson of the Central Silk Board, said the country has set an ambitious target of producing 60,000 metric tonnes of silk by 2030-31.
She said high-yielding silkworm hybrids and modern machinery are being introduced to increase productivity. Technologies including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Machine Learning (ML) are also being integrated for quality inspection and enhancement of production capacity.
MoUs, appointments and awards
The programme also witnessed the exchange of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) between the Central Silk Board and various organisations.
Appointment letters were distributed to 28 scientists, while awards were presented to outstanding employees and stakeholders for their contributions. Various publications and periodicals of the Central Silk Board were also released during the event.
The programme was attended by G. Lakshminarayana, Member of Parliament and CSB Board Member; Padmini Singla, Joint Secretary (Silk), Ministry of Textiles and Vice Chairperson of CSB; P. Shivakumar, Member Secretary of the Board; Girish R., Secretary of the Department of Horticulture and Sericulture, Government of Karnataka; and other dignitaries.
Silk farmers and weavers from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu also participated in the programme and exhibition.
