{"id":121956,"date":"2024-07-23T19:06:19","date_gmt":"2024-07-23T13:36:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=editorial-analysis&#038;p=121956"},"modified":"2024-07-24T16:01:58","modified_gmt":"2024-07-24T10:31:58","slug":"benefits-of-the-domestic-silk-route","status":"publish","type":"editorial-analysis","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/editorial-analysis\/benefits-of-the-domestic-silk-route","title":{"rendered":"Benefits Of The Domestic Silk Route"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India seems set to become the <\/span><b>world\u2019s leading producer of <\/b><strong>sil<\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>k and silk products<\/strong> by 2030.<\/span><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.9987%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 100%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: rgba(184, 165, 217, 0.53); text-align: left; vertical-align: middle;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Relevancy for Prelims: <\/b><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/udaan\/fiber-crops-in-india\/\">Fiber Crops In India<\/a>,\u00a0Sericulture, Types of Silk, Production in Silk, Initiatives to boost Sericulture Market , etc.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Relevancy for Mains:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Sericulture, Process of Silk Production, Types of Silk, Silk Production in India, Challenges<\/span><b>, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Initiatives to boost Sericulture Market , etc.<\/span><\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>About Sericulture<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sericulture is the <\/span><b>cultivation of silkworm<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">s to produce <\/span><b>silk<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Here\u2019s an overview of the process:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Selection of Silkworm Eggs: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">High-quality silkworm eggs are selected from a healthy breed. These eggs are incubated under controlled conditions to hatch into larvae.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Hatching: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The eggs hatch into tiny silkworm larvae, which are then placed on trays with a clean and hygienic environment.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Feeding: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The larvae are fed fresh mulberry leaves several times a day. This feeding process continues for about 4-6 weeks, during which the larvae undergo several molting stages (shedding their skin).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Spinning the Cocoon: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After the final molting stage, the silkworms spin cocoons. Each silkworm produces a single long filament by secreting a proteinaceous substance called fibroin, which hardens on exposure to air to form silk. This process takes about 2-3 days.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Stifling: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To kill the pupae inside and prevent them from breaking the cocoon, the harvested cocoons are subjected to heat treatment. This process is known as stifling and can be done using steam, hot air, or sun drying.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc\/pw-only-ias?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Classes<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Types of Silk<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India is a unique silk producer in the world because four types of silk are produced here:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Mulberry silk:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This is the most common type. It is produced by domesticated moths called <\/span><b>Bombyx mori<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which feed on <\/span><b>mulberry leaves<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It has a strong, fine texture and is glossy, making it perfect for sarees.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Muga silk: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is a special <\/span><b>golden-colored silk<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> made from <\/span><b>wild silkworms (<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Antheraea assamensis) found in Assam. It is highly valued for its shine and durability.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Eri silk: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also known as<\/span><b> &#8216;Ahimsa silk&#8217; <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">because the silkworms are usually <\/span><b>not killed in the process.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It is mainly produced in the northeastern states from <\/span><b>Samia ricini moths <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">that feed on <\/span><b>castor leaves.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Tussar silk: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is a <\/span><b>weather-proof material<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; cool in summer and warm in winter. It is mainly produced in states like<\/span><b> Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha.<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tussar silk, mentioned in ancient <\/span><b>Sanskrit texts as Kosa<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, is virtually a <\/span><b>weather-proof material,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as the garments made from it remain cool in summer and warm in winter.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Silk Production in India<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Becoming the Number 1: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The annual production of silk, estimated at 36,500 tonnes in 2022-23, is projected to surge to more than <\/span><b>50,000 tonnes by 2030, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and <\/span><b>surpass that of China, the world\u2019s largest silk producer.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Growing Market:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> According to silk-industry sources, the sericulture market, estimated at worth over Rs 53,000 crore in 2023, is expected to exceed <\/span><b>Rs 2 trillion by the early 2030s,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> registering a robust annual growth rate of over 15 per cent.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Producers State wise: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Apart from the major silk-producing states like <\/span><b>Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu, and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> some <\/span><b>smaller players in this secto<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">r, such as <\/span><b>Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have also drawn up ambitious plans to promote sericulture<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Challenges Related to the <\/b><b>Silk Production in India<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Lack of Technological Advancement:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Insufficient investment in research and development hampers the adoption of new technologies and practices that could improve productivity and disease resistance in silkworms<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Huge Domestic Demand: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indian sericulture exports may follow an <\/span><b>unpredictable trajectory due largely to the huge domestic demand for silk products<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which is growing faster than<\/span><b> indigenous production.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even now India has to <\/span><b>import about 4,000 tonnes of silk annually<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to meet the <\/span><b>requirements of the silk-based industry<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Limited Exports:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> So, regardless of the anticipated rise in domestic silk output, the<\/span><b> availability of silk for exports may remain limited,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and continue to <\/span><b>fluctuate<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, as has been the case in the recent past.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>In 2021-22<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: the country exported silk and its products worth around $248.56 million, up 25.3 per cent from the previous year\u2019s shipments.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>In 2022-23:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> But these exports dipped to $220.5 million in 2022-23.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Less Focus on By-Products: Extracting oil from silkworm pupae<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which have a high content of health-boosting <\/span><b>Omega-3 fatty acid<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and also sericin, a gelatinous substance rich in protein. It is also producing mulberry juice, which has huge c<\/span><b>onsumer demand<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India is hardly exploiting the commercial potential of such products.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-textbooks?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Textbooks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out UPSC NCERT Textbooks From PW Store<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Initiatives to boost Sericulture Market<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Modern Technology:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> India\u2019s main focus now is on inducting<\/span><b> modern technologies<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> into this sector, where a <\/span><b>sizable section of silk farmers <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is still following the <\/span><b>age-old practices of silk production.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Increase the production of plants:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The area under mulberry, castor, and other plants, whose leaves constitute the basic feed of silkworms, is also proposed to be expanded in several states.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Increasing the Income: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More importantly, efforts are afoot to encourage gainful uses of sericulture byproducts, some of which have great commercial potential.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This would help augment the <\/span><b>income<\/b> <b>of<\/b> <b>silk farmers and improve the quality of silk fibre, fabric<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><b>other products<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, including silk garments.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Awareness Campaign:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Though sericulture is more lucrative than many other allied fields of agriculture, its profitability can be ramped up by promoting gainful utilisation of its byproducts. Government must run an awareness campaign to educate farmers about the benefits of byproducts and using it as a lucrative alternative<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<table style=\"width: 100.2%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 100%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: rgba(184, 165, 217, 0.53); text-align: left; vertical-align: middle;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Mains Question<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/mains-answer-writing\/india-is-projected-to-become-the-worlds-leading-silk-producer-by-2030-discuss-the-opportunities-and-challenges-facing-indias-sericulture-sector-and-suggest-measures-to-ensure-its-sustainable-gro-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Q. India is projected to become the world&#8217;s leading silk producer by 2030. Discuss the opportunities\u00a0 and challenges facing India&#8217;s sericulture sector, and suggest measures to ensure its sustainable growth while balancing domestic demand and export potential. \u00a0 (15 Marks, 250 Words)<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 100.03%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 137.943%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\" colspan=\"2\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Must Read<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 50.5357%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/editorial-analysis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UPSC Daily Editorials<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 87.4074%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/daily-current-affairs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UPSC Daily Current Affairs<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 50.5357%; 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