Revitalising Sericulture

Samir Alam focuses on sericulture and what can be done to promote it.

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Silk is undoubtedly the most elegant and luxurious fabric in the world. Its importance is easy to trace, given the 6000 year long relationship it has had with civilisations across the globe. Its significance is not limited simply to its luxury status but also to its inherently unique utility. The ‘Queen of Textiles’, as it is known, is the preferred fabric of numerous civilisations in history mainly due to its technical qualities, such as affinity to dyes, light weight, soft touch and high durability. The use of silk is, therefore, closely tied to numerous cultures and fashions in distinctive ways, making it a versatile and desirable material. And while silk is estimated to hold a very small share of the global textile market, its production is constant in over 60 countries due to its higher value over cotton. This has ensured that the practice of sericulture is closely associated with traditional and, often times, a sustainable rural enterprise for most developing nations, as well as being utilised towards a global value chain that is eager for more silk products.

At present, Asia remains the global hub of silk production with China as the single largest producer followed by India in the second place. But beyond its commercial value and contribution to national economies, sericulture has also proven to be an essential trade good for generating employment and supporting rural populations. Thailand’s silk trade supports over 20,000 weaving families, while China provides employment to around one million people in the production sector. According to the India Brand Equity Foundation, India has nearly 7.9 million people who are employed at various junctures of the silk trade; from silk production to weaving, but these numbers have been waning. The revitalisation of sericulture in India can provide numerous benefits to both, national trade as well as the nation’s burgeoning demand for future employment.