The Central Silk Board has decided to sensitise the sericulture farmers to take up food plant cultivation that would suit the water availability in their region for assured cocoon production, thereby increasing the raw silk thread yield.
Addressing mediapersons here on Wednesday, the CSB chairman, K.M. Hanumantharayappa said that the annual production of raw silk hovered around 28,000 metric tonnes, out of which 98% belonged to the mulberry variety. The other three varieties were Muga, Eri and Tusar, he said.
The board’s sustained efforts over the decade had improved the annual production of raw silk from around 10,000 metric tonnes to the present level, the chairman said adding that if the farmers chose the food plant variety that suited their region, the cocoon production could also be maintained at the highest level.
“For instance, cultivation of rain-fed plants in rain-fed areas and water intensive variety in areas where more water was available should be taken up,” he said.
Mr. Hanumantharayappa said, once the raw silk production increased, the prices would fall as the demand-supply gap would be reduced.
Earlier, the sericulture farmers used to harvest four crops in a year, but now with four different varieties of food plants, they could harvest not less than 10 crops in a year.
Cost to come down
Allaying fears that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) would cause a steep hike in the price of finished silk products, he said that once the raw silk prices fell, cost of the finished goods would also get reduced.
He called upon those working in the silk industry to maintain proper records so that they could avail GST exemption, since most of them did business well below the limit of ₹20 lakh turnover every year.
The small producers of silk sarees would have to pay a GST of 2% on their sales if their annual turnover was between ₹20 lakh and ₹75 lakh. Others having a turnover of above ₹75 lakh every year, would have to to pay a 5% GST every year, he added.
