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The Government is eyeing wastelands in central India, both public and private, to promote the cultivation of tasar silk.
Besides enhancing the local livelihoods, the proposed move could also help combat extremism in States such as Chhattisgarh, Odisha and West Bengal among others.
Tasar is a wild silk variety, mainly produced in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, and parts Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Maharashtra.
satellite mapping
Largely used in furnishings and interiors, the coarse variety tasar silk is produced by worms that feed on the leaves of trees such as Asan, Arjun and sal.
“We have done a satellite mapping with the help of Indian Space Research Organisation and have identified the potential areas to promote tasar production” said Ishita Roy, Chief Executive Officer and Member Secretary, Central Silk Board (CSB).
Talks are on with the State governments, community-based organisations and the non-governmental organisations active in the region.
The area to be covered under the proposed project would depend on the States and response from private land holders.
As part of the project, the implementing agency - likely to be an NGO would take up plantation of trees such as asan, arjun and sal on the wastelands.
Multi-uses
Besides contributing to the green cover, the plantations could also provide a source of income for the locals who would be allowed to rear the silk worms.
The CSB is piloting the concept of seed rearing as part of which the eggs of tasar silk worm would be commercially available for rearing.
Tasar accounted for about seven per cent of the country’s total silk output of 23,060 tonnes in 2011-12.
The production of tasar silk has grown four-fold in the past six years.
Silk output
The mulberry silk accounts for 80 per cent of the total silk produced in the country.
Roy said the Board is also targeting to increase the overall silk output to 32,000 tonnes over the next four years.
The Silk Board plans to target increasing the mulberry silk production in States such as Jammu and Kashmir, besides targeting newer areas in non-traditional States such as Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
Mulberry silk is mainly produced in States such as Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
India is the second largest producer of silk after China.
Doemstic silk consumption stands at 28,700 tonnes.
In the Budget 2013-14, the Government enhance the import duty on raw silk to 15 per cent from the present five per cent to protect the domestic producers.
> vishwanath.kulkarni@thehindu.co.in
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