The details of silk production against the target during last three years are given below:

There is a marginal shortfall in achievement against the targets set for silk production. However, the country has shown increasing trend in production of silk over the years. The main reasons for marginal shortfall in production is urbanisation in traditional silk producing States and deficient/erratic rain fall.

The details of export earnings from silk goods and country-wise foreign exchange earned for last three years are given below:

Export earnings from silk during 2016-17 to 2018-19

Country wise export earnings from silk goods during 2016-17 to 2018-19

Funds allocated for production of silk during the last three years and the current year is given below:

(in Rs. crore)

Silk Cocoons being an agriculture based commodity, a number of factors such as climate (rainfall, drought), pest and disease incidences (which affect the production and quality of cocoon), demand for silk products and international prices of silk affect the cocoon prices.  As marketing of cocoon and raw silk comes under the State list, some States provide price incentive to farmers for their cocoon produce (through regulated cocoon markets), whenever there is a fluctuation in cocoon prices. The traditional silk producing States like Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal follow open auctions between farmers and the reelers. The marketing of these commodities is purely done by the State.

Steps taken by the Government through the Central Silk Board to protect the interest of the silk producers are given below:

1. CSB through a restructured Central Sector Scheme Silk Samagra and 38 projects under North East Region Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS) protects the interests of the farmers by supporting through beneficiary oriented components like, raising of Kissan Nursery, Plantation with improved Mulberry varieties, Irrigation, Chawki rearing centres with incubation facility, Construction of rearing houses, Rearing equipments, Door to door service agents for disinfection.
2. Strengthened Research & Development system to improve the levels of cocoon production and productivity to develop improved mulberry/host plant varieties, silkworm hybrids and technology packages to minimize drudgery.
3. For production of 3A-4A grade raw Silk from the bivoltine cocoons, Automatic Reeling Machines (ARM) have been established in the country.
4. Central Silk Board and State Governments mobilize additional funds for sericulture development through convergence by availing the schemes such as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) being implemented by various other Ministries of Govt of India. 
5. The basic customs duty of 10% & 20% is levied on raw silk and silk fabric import respectively. This makes the domestic silk weaving market segment stronger and also makes Indian silk export sector highly competitive.

This information was given by the Union Minister of Textiles, Smriti Zubin Irani, in written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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MM/ SB