Sun Jan 04 10:45:41 UTC 2026: News Article:

Indian Silk Industry Urged to Focus on Marketing and Expansion

Bengaluru, India – January 4, 2026 – India’s sericulture industry is being urged to prioritize marketing, brand positioning, value creation, and market expansion to bolster its growth both domestically and globally. The call to action came from Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary of the Ministry of Textiles, during the Directors’ Conference of Sericulture Practicing States and Union Territories held in Bengaluru on January 3rd and 4th, 2026.

Rao emphasized the need to bridge the demand-supply gap in silk, emphasizing consistent quality standards, strengthened testing mechanisms, and enhanced consumer trust. She highlighted the role of Silk Mark authentication in increasing the credibility and value of Indian silks in the market. She also noted that recent initiatives, like Seri Tourism in Jammu and Kashmir, are providing a further boost to the industry.

The Ministry of Textiles is committed to expanding silk farming nationwide, as reflected in the heat mapping of sericulture clusters and districts.

K.N. Ravi, Joint Director of the Department of Sericulture, Karnataka, highlighted the positive impact of technology adoption and e-markets on all stakeholders, including farmers, reelers, and bidders. Karnataka, the leading silk-producing state in India, aims to produce 14,150 tonnes of raw silk by March 2026, a significant increase from the 13,276 tonnes produced the previous year. The state currently has 1,18,000 hectares of land under mulberry cultivation, supporting approximately 148,500 sericulture farmers.

The conference, themed “Strengthening The Silk Value Chain for Inclusive Growth,” focused on strategies to further develop and strengthen the silk industry in India.

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