Even as India is on course to reaching its target of producing 50,000 tonnes of raw silk every year by 2030, Central Silk Board (CSB) has begun laying emphasis on the byproducts of the sericulture industry.
Speaking to The Hindu during a recent visit to Central Sericulture Research and Training Institute (CSRTI) in Mysuru for the launch of radio series in association with All India Radio (AIR) to mark the platinum jubilee celebrations of CSB, its member-secretary and Chief Executive Officer P. Sivakumar not only expressed confidence of Indian sericulture industry surpassing raw silk production of China by 2030 and becoming top silk producing country in the world, but also emphasised the need for Indian sericulture industry to start focusing more on the byproducts.
“When the CSB Act was passed in 1948 and the Board was established in 1949, raw silk production in the country was only 1,100 tonnes. Now, 75 years later, the country’s raw silk production had reached 36,500 tonnes as per the 2022-23 figures. Our target is to reach 50,000 tonnes by 2030 and we will reach the goal and become the world’s no. 1 country,” he said.
