Silk Promotion Exhibition Draws Attention at International Shivratri Festival in Mandi.
Shimla:
A Silk Promotion Exhibition set up by the Industries Department during the International Shivratri Festival in Mandi is emerging as a major attraction, offering visitors comprehensive insights into sericulture and its growing role in strengthening the rural economy.
The exhibition provides detailed information about the entire silk production process — from mulberry nursery cultivation and silkworm seed rearing to cocoon production, silk reeling, and the creation of finished silk products. Visitors are being educated about how silk is cultivated and processed, making the event both informative and engaging.
Deputy Commissioner of Mandi, Apoorv Devgan, visited the exhibition and appreciated the display of mulberry saplings, silkworm seeds, the silk thread extraction process, and a variety of finished silk products. He stated that silk production serves as an effective means of self-employment that can be undertaken from home. He further emphasized that the silk industry plays a crucial role in strengthening the rural economy by enhancing farmers’ income and generating employment opportunities at the local level.
Officials at the exhibition highlighted that silk is mainly produced in four varieties — Mulberry, Oak Tasar, Eri, and Muga. In Mandi district, nearly 80 percent of total silk production consists of mulberry silk, which is well-suited to the region’s climatic conditions. Approximately 2,500 farming families in the district are engaged in silkworm rearing, collectively producing around 9.56 metric tonnes of silk cocoons.
According to Silk Officer Vijay Chaudhary, a farming family involved in sericulture can earn between Rs. 15,000 and Rs. 20,000 per month. The state government is promoting the sector through various schemes aimed at encouraging farmers to adopt sericulture. Cocoons produced by farmers are marketed through the Sericulture Wing of the Industries Department via an open tendering process, ensuring that farmers receive fair market prices directly.
Cocoon prices vary according to quality. Grade A cocoons are sold at Rs. 1,100 to Rs. 1,700 per kilogram, Grade B at Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 1,100 per kilogram, and Grade C at Rs. 900 to Rs. 1,000 per kilogram. Additionally, by-products generated during silk production fetch around Rs. 300 per kilogram, providing farmers with supplementary income.
Silk produced in the state continues to witness demand from other regions, particularly West Bengal and several southern Indian states, further strengthening the market prospects for local sericulture farmers.
The exhibition not only showcases the technical aspects of silk production but also underlines its potential as a sustainable livelihood model for rural communities.
