ISC head office moves to India

ISC is intergovernmental organization of silk producing countries institutionalized on the 8th of August 1960 and was hitherto located in Lyon, France. ISC is governed by a statute, adopted through an international treaty.

At present, there are 13 countries in ISC which are; Brazil, Egypt, France, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Syria, Madagascar, Romania, Thailand, Tunisia. The aim of ISC is to encourage and promote the development of sericulture and silk industry.

The new Office of the ISC set up at the Central Silk Board building, Bangalore was virtually inaugurated last evening by Ms. Zohra Chatterji, Secretary to Govt. of India, Ministry of Textiles at New Delhi.

The event also marked the unveiling of “Silk Mark India Fusion Label” to the international community assembled for the ISC conference at New Delhi by Shri Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty, Secretary (ER), Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi. “Silk Mark” is an initiative of Govt. of India to protect the purity of silk and promote the Indian silk products in domestic and global market.

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has been a long-term partner of Central Silk Board for furthering development of Sericulture in India. On the occasion, an MoU was exchanged for the next stage of development project with JICA. 

“The shifting of the ISC to India would have significant impact on the development of global silk industry as India possesses the required expertise to support and lead the countries engaged in the development of silk industry. Rearing of silk could contribute to the Millennium Development Goal of inclusive development.

Many developing countries in Asian and African regions can emulate the development of silk industry in India. The International Sericulture Commission is now planning to enhance its membership base across the globe, thus welcoming new countries in its fold. ”, said Ms Zohra Chatterji on the occasion.

India is the second largest producer of silk and also the largest consumer of silk in the world. In India, mulberry silk is produced mainly in the states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Jammu & Kashmir and West Bengal, while the non-mulberry silks are produced in Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, Orissa and north-eastern states.

According to Ms Ishita Roy, the shifting of the ISC to India would significantly help silk industry in India. Some of the research and development institutes in India could be elevated to global standards by forging fruitful collaboration with other reputed institutes

Silk production has gone up in India due to the improvement in productivity. The country’s annual silk production had increased from 18,300 tonne in the 10th Five-Year Plan to 23,000 tonne by the end of the 11th Five-Year Plan and was expected to touch 32,000 tonnes by the end of 12th Plan, Ms Roy added.

India is gearing up for production of best silk of international grade by getting the best available genetic material of mulberry plants and silkworms from Japan and Thailand. This will help increase the production of quality silk, give a fillip to exports and improve economic conditions of all the stakeholders, she added.

International Sericulture Commission