The import of silk yarns for the purpose of textile weaving has witnessed a decline of 25 percent in 2010. The increase in the silk yarn prices is one of the reasons which led to a considerable reduction in their imports, which registered a decline of 25 percent from that recorded in 2009 to 300 tons. Less silk yarn has been imported in 2010 as the silk weavers had reduced their production owing to the hike in raw material prices.
In 2010, average price of imported raw silk had been US $41 per kilogram, $11 more than the average price of 2009. The price of raw silk is increasing this year also with imported silk yarn costing $52 per kilogram at the end of January, 2011. There is no possibility of any respite for the silk weavers as the prices continue to remain high thereby influencing the quantum of silk imported from countries like China and Vietnam.
At present, it is difficult to estimate the quantity of silk yarn that would be imported in 2011 since prices have increased to a great extent and it is difficult to predict when the prices will really come down. The spiralling silk prices towards the end of 2010 were indicative of the dropping silk yarn imports. The silk weavers from Cambodia had no other alternative but to use imported yarn, last year as domestically produced raw silk could only fulfill one percent of the total market requirement.
Fibre2fashion News Desk - India