UP to figure on nation's silk map

State to step up production

After the successful launch of the branded mango, honey and Aonla, the Uttar Pradesh government has now focused attention on promoting the production of silk and also obtaining certification from the Central Silk Board. The certification would be like the ISI mark or the Woolmark.

This is part of the UP government's programme of bringing the state on the silk map of India. UP produces just 35 tonnes of silk, against the annual consumption of 10,000 tonnes, the principal consumer being the Banarasi silk saree. The government woke up to the potential in the silk industry after cheap Chinese silk, smuggled from Nepal, flooded the local markets.

Jagdish Singh Rana, minister for handloom and sericulture, said here silk production had increased from 20 tonnes to 35 tonnes in one year and he planned to take it to at least 200 tonnes per annum. He said the state silk directorate had drawn a comprehensive plan for bridging the huge gap between demand and supply.

He said three varieties of silk--mulberry, eri silk, and tasar--were produced in UP. So far mulberry silk is cultivated in 37 districts, eri silk in seven, and tasar in four.

He said for promoting silk cultivation, the government would promote the high-yielding varieties of food plants for growing the silk worm. For promoting silk cultivation, the state government has withdrawn the trade tax on silk cocoons, which was charged at 6 per cent.

Districts like Saharanpur, Bijnor, Etawaha, Auraiya, Kanpur, Fatehpur and Jalaun have been identified for silk cultivation. Rana said the government was trying to check the invasion by inferior and cheap Chinese silk.

He added bringing down the price of domestic silk by increasing production was the only way to do that.