Growth in domestic production of Chinese silk

The growth in the domestic demand of bivoltine silk (Chinese silk) has led to its large-scale production here in India.

"We produce 800 tonnes of bivoltine silk, which is expected to increase in the years to come," said P Joy Oommen, member secretary and chief executive officer of Central Silk Board (CSB), ministry of textiles, at the launch of the natural silk mark.

The natural silk mark will not only help the consumers to identify good quality silk but also help genuine silk producers to realise better earnings, Oommen added. The silk mark is available to silk producers, wholesalers and retailers.

Oommen pointed out that the silk mark symbolises good quality silk and is only an authorisation given by the CSB and not a recognition of the silk produced.

T H Somashekar, director, Central Silk Technological Research Institute, said that the silk mark is in the form of a hologram sticker which cannot be replicated. "Each textile manufacturer is given a specific serial number for the silk mark which will help in identifying the seller also, " he added.

Somashekar said that the natural silk mark is expected to be extended to other areas such as identifying the quality of silk depending on the length, width and weight of silk sarees, identifying the grade of silk and so on.

"We expect to have an additional label for Vanya so that non-mulberry silk can also be identified along with the natural silk mark," he added.

The registration charges for the natural silk mark will depend on the quantity of silk produced and sold. The maximum limit for the charges would be Rs 5,000.

India produces about 15,000 tonnes of mulberry silk and 1,500 tonnes of non-mulberry silk. It exports silk garments and silk textiles worth Rs 2,500 crore.