Restoring past glory: Jammu and Kashmir admn pushes for revival of silk industry
Recently, Jammu and Kashmir admn gave a go-ahead for a ₹91 crore project for revival and revitalisation of silk industry in UT through technological interventions. The aim is to involve fast-paced technology like the establishment of an automatic reeling machine (ARM) in Jammu (there is already one in Kashmir)
In the mid-1800s, silk was one of the major cash crops in Jammu and Kashmir to the extent that silk fabric for parachutes used in World War 2 was exported from Kashmir before the industry’s ultimate decline in the 1990s. Now, the Jammu and Kashmir government has started a major push to augment silk production in the union territory to restore some of its past glory.
The aim is to involve fast-paced technology like the establishment of an automatic reeling machine (ARM) in Jammu (there is already one in Kashmir), planting of more mulberry trees, establishing more worm-rearing centres to double the silkworm seed production and also the cocoon production from 800 MT to 1,350 MT, and skill development of 15,000 farmers.
“Historically during the time of Maharajas (1846 onwards), our cash crop was cocoons. It would finance the state government and after that agriculture and horticulture development. That can’t be achieved right now but at least we want some of that past glory back,” said additional director, sericulture, Shabir Ahmad Bhat.
Last month, the J&K government gave a go-ahead for a ₹91 crore project for the revival and revitalisation of the silk industry in the union territory through technological interventions.
“Sericulture is the only cash crop that ensures significant returns in a short span of time, earning it a special place in the rural economy. Although the state produces high-quality bivoltine cocoons, productivity and total cocoon output are low,” said Atal Dulloo, additional chief secretary, agriculture production department, while announcing the project.
Kashmir has a historical association with silk which dates back hundreds of years. Rajtarangini – the oldest written chronicle of Kashmir – mentions silk beside the accounts in the 7th century AD in Xuang Zang’s travelogue.
However, officials say that from the 1890s, silk was produced in an organised manner. Silk yarn produced here was exported to the UK. In the second World War, the silk fabric for parachutes was exported from Kashmir.
The Valley’s first silk yarn reeling filature was started at Solina, Srinagar, in 1897 under the patronage of the British. By 1961-62, the annual production of silk in the state stood at around 98,000 kg. The decline in silk production came in the late 1980s and with the eruption of militancy in the 1990s, silk reeling and weaving factories became obsolete and defunct.
Currently, ‘technological interventions to strengthen sericulture’ is one among the 29 projects approved by the Jammu and Kashmir administration for the holistic development of agriculture and allied sectors in J&K.
Manzoor Qadri, director, sericulture, said one of the main challenges facing the sericulture industry in J&K is the lack of access to modern technology. “Many farmers still use traditional methods of silk production, which are time-consuming and labour-intensive as well as sub-par in terms of quality of output. This makes it difficult for them to benefit from the $250 million export market for Indian silk,” Qadri said.
“The project shall ensure that the global fame which silk from J&K had garnered will be regained,” he said.
The major interventions that are being undertaken in the project included planting 10 lakh new mulberry plants in tree mode, doubling the silkworm seed production from 8 lakh to 16 lakh, increasing cocoon production from 700 MT to 1350 MT, establishing 100 new chawki rearing centres for the supply of chawki worms to seri farmers, giving employment to 7,000 new silkworm farmers and skill development of existing15,000 farmers.
An automatic reeling machine is also being established in Jammu which will directly benefit 2,000 sericulture farmers. The state-of-the-art machine will allow the production of international-quality silk within the UT fetching better prices for the cocoons.
Bhat said that only 30-40% of the cocoon production was consumed locally for reeling. “Rest 60-70% goes to other states. To increase local consumption, we have proposed one more automatic reeling machine in Jammu,” he said.
He said the machine would be established in collaboration with private players like the one in Khonmoh, Kashmir, where a private player was provided help by the government to establish it.
“Cocoon unit holders from Jammu bring their produce here because the crop first is produced there. There is a two-month difference (between the crops of Kashmir and Jammu). The reeling facility will enhance and speed up the production,” he said.
He said that the increased consumption of raw materials locally will generate more income and employment. “When cocoon production increases, it will definitely have an impact on the ground as more people will get employment, and industry will get a boost,” he said.