The Uttar Pradesh government is planning to double silk production to more than 700 tonnes in the near future in a bid to boost manufacturing and export of premium textile apparels in the state. Sericulture can be an important pillar in the development of UP.
What has been the history of development of sericulture in UP?
| Pre-Independence Era |
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| Post-Independence (1950s–1970s): Foundation Phase |
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| Structured Development and Expansion (1980s- 2010s) |
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| Modernization and Expansion (2010 onwards) | UP announced multiple state-level sericulture missions. Key initiatives included promotion of bivoltine silk to improve quality, and expansion of mulberry plantations in non-traditional areas using irrigation and drought-tolerant mulberry varieties. |
UP Government’s state specific initiatives
| Tussar silk development scheme | It is being implemented in 12 districts, including Sonbhadra, Chandauli, Mirzapur, Jhansi, Lalitpur, Fatehpur, Chitrakoot, Mahoba, Jaunpur, Sultanpur, Mathura, |
| Eri silk development scheme | It is being implemented in 8 districts of the state, including Fatehpur, Kanpur Nagar, Kanpur Dehat, Hamirpur, Banda, Chitrakoot, Jalaun. There are a total of 5 government-owned Eri (Castor) silk farms in the state. |
| Silk Research and Development Centers in Uttar Pradesh | Mulberry silk research and development- Subhagpur Silk Research and Development Centre (Gonda) Tussar silk research and development- Sonbhadra Eri silk development and research- Kanpur Nagar Silk Research and Development Centre |
What is the significance of sericulture in UP?
1. Rural Employment Generation- Sericulture is a labour-intensive activity, as it provides year-round employment to rural households. It helps in reducing seasonal unemployment among small and marginal farmers, landless labourers, and women.
2. Women empowerment- Cocoon rearing, silk reeling, and weaving are activities commonly taken up by women and self-help groups (SHGs). It provides home-based income and improves socio-economic status of women in rural and semi-urban areas.
3. Boost to Traditional Silk Weaving Clusters- UP is home to world-famous silk weaving centres like Varanasi, Mubarakpur, and Meerut. Development of local sericulture ensures better supply of quality raw silk and reduces the dependence on imported silk (especially chinese silk).
4. Tribal and Backward Region Development- Tasar sericulture is practiced in Sonbhadra, Mirzapur, and Chandauli, regions with significant tribal populations.
5. Agricultural Diversification- Mulberry cultivation provides an alternative to traditional crops like wheat and paddy.
6. Environmental Benefits- Mulberry plantations help in soil conservation, carbon sequestration and prevention of land degradation. Sericulture is an eco-friendly, low-pollution industry, aligning with sustainability goals.
What are the challenges with the development of sericulture in UP?
1. Climatic Limitations- UP’s climate is not uniformly suitable for mulberry cultivation. Extreme summers and cold winters affect silkworm growth and cocoon quality.
2. Limited Quality Mulberry Cultivation- Mulberry acreage in UP is much lower than in southern states like Karnataka. Major issues with mulberry cultivation are poor-quality soils in many regions, limited irrigation facilities and low availability of high-yielding mulberry varieties.
3. Shortage of Quality Silkworm Seed- UP has inadequate number of advanced seed production units and chawki rearing centers. UP is dependent on other states for disease-free layings (DFLs).
4. Fragmented and unorganised producer base- Sericulture in UP is dominated by small and marginal farmers. Lack of cooperative structures results in weak market linkages, and low bargaining power.
5. Skill Gaps and Low Awareness- Sericulture requires specialized skills in Silkworm rearing, Cocoon handling, reeling, spinning, and twisting. Skill development programmes are insufficient in many districts of UP.
6. Marketing and Price Instability- Price fluctuations in cocoons and raw silk discourage farmers. There is lack of assured buy-back mechanisms, organised auction centres and transparent pricing systems.
| Read More- Viticulture in UP and its impact on development of UP |
What should be the way forward?
1. Expand Mulberry Cultivation- Promote high-yielding and climate-resilient mulberry varieties suitable for UP’s climatic conditions. Encourage intercropping and boundary plantations to help small farmers adopt mulberry without losing main crop income.
2. Strengthen Seed and Silkworm Rearing Infrastructure- Establish more chawki rearing centres (CRCs) and disease-free laying (DFL) production units in each major sericulture district.
3. Technology Upgradation- Introduce modern rearing houses, humidity or temperature control devices, improved mountages. Provide financial aid for upgrading old looms to semi-automatic and powerlooms, especially in Varanasi and Mubarakpur.
4. Skill Development and Capacity Building- Strengthen training through Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), Central Silk Board (CSB) centres, and Rural Livelihood Missions. Introduce sericulture skill modules under UP Skill Development Mission.
5. Enhance Market Linkages- Develop organized cocoon markets with transparent auction systems. Set up farmer–weaver clusters to ensure assured procurement of cocoons.
6. Reduce Dependence on Imported Silk- Promote bivoltine sericulture (high-quality mulberry silk) to supply weaving clusters. Set up testing and quality certification labs to boost confidence of local weavers in UP silk.
| Source- Invest UP |
