Eri & Muga silk provides employment to Assamese youth

05 Mar '13

2 min read

The need for keeping afloat the production of Eri and Muga silk in India’s north-eastern state of Assam has been highlighted by the state’s Minister for Sericulture, Handloom, and Textile & Cultural Affairs, Ms. Pranati Phukan.

Noting that the state and the Central governments have launched several measures to boost production of high-quality yarn, she said production of Muga yarn in the state increased at an annual growth rate of 25 percent from 86 metric tons in 2008-09 to115 tons in 2011-12, while Eri yarn production grew at the rate of 60 percent from 784 tons in 2008-09 to 1,975 tons in 2011-12.

Establishing green house to support commercial rearing of silk worms, systematically increasing food availability for Eri and Muga worms, health insurance schemes for male as well as female rearers, extending subsidy for upgrading looms and procuring technical yarn-cutting machines are some of the measures that have led to rise in silk production in the state, the Minister said.

Addressing the ‘Workshop on Strategy for Improvement of Muga and Eri Silk Production’, she said the two silk varieties are pride of the state, and the silk industry has a potential to uplift the state’s economy. This is particularly true for the rural economy, where 8 out of every10 people depend on Eri and Muga silk industry for their livelihood, she added.

The Minister said the golden Muga holds a key place in global sericulture industry. Contributing around 99 percent and 65 percent of India’s total Muga and Eri silk production, respectively, Assam now positions itself as the third largest silk producing state of the nation.

Mushrooming demand for the two silk varieties has not only earned a distinguished identity to the Assam silk industry, but has also generated self-employment opportunities for rural youth, she said.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India

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