Export of Silk and Silk Products

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

Ministry of Textiles

16-March-2017 15:15 IST

The details of export of silk and silk products from the country during last three years and the current year are given below:

Note:  Natural Silk yarn includes raw silk & cocoons

* Provisional Data (April ‘16 to January ‘17)

Source: Compiled from the Monthly Foreign Trade Statistics of India (MSFTI), DGCIS, Kolkata

Some of the issues affecting silk exports are as under:

·         Decreased demand from major consuming markets (Europe & USA)

·         Rising prices of raw silk yarn/fabrics

·         Increased competition from blended silk products (silk blends with synthetic and polyester fabrics)

·         Silk not being major focus of current fashion trends in European and USA market

·         Lack of on-shore availability of high quality silk and dependence on China for high end raw silk/fabric

However, while exports have reduced to traditional markets like USA, Europe, silk exports are picking up in new/non-traditional markets like UAE, Malaysia, Sudan, Nigeria, etc.

The quality of silk produced in India requires improvement, for making high fashion garments for export. India depends on import of high-grade bivoltine raw silk (4A & above quality) and fabric from China. At present, India has reached the level of production of 3A grade silk and in order to boost the silk exports, the Government has been taking several steps for increasing the domestic production of the import-substitute-quality silk (bivoltine), such as: R&D has been focused to evolve productive bivoltine hybrids and package of practices for production of  high quality bivoltine silk in the country; Focus has been given to increase the production of bivoltine raw silk in the country to 5000 MT per annum in XII Five year Plan (2012-13 to 2016-17); 172 clusters have been organized across the country with the support of State Governments to augment the production of bivoltine silk under Cluster Development Programme; 35 Automatic Reeling Machines(ARM)/Units have been established in the country for production of 3A-4A grade raw Silk from the bivoltine cocoons; initiating action to evolve new products by blending silk with other fibres such as wool, coir, cotton etc., which are in demand in the international markets; under the present Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) providing rewards to majority of textile products including silk products under Merchandise Export from India Scheme (MEIS) under which majority of the silk products have been covered with 2% Duty Scrip; introducing Silk Mark label for 100% pure silk products for protecting the interests of consumers and participation of Indian Silk Export Promotion Council (ISEPC) along with silk exporters in different international expos.

The above information was given by the Minister of State, Textiles, Shri Ajay Tamta today, in a written reply to a Lok Sabha question.

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GG/DJM