India currently imports 6,000 to 8,000 tonnes of raw silk and silk fabric from China to meet the growing domestic demand of around 34,000 tonnes. The country exports silk worth Rs. 3,000 crore a year.
Central Silk Board Member Secretary H. Nagesh Prabhu told reporters in Myduru that India doubled its raw silk production in the last 10 years from 15,000 tonnes a year to almost 29,000 tonnes a year.
While research and development has boosted production, new silkworm productive breeds, high yielding mulberry varieties, quality disease-free layings, scientifically-designed rearing shed, mounting devices, and high performance reeling devices have also helped increase silk output.
Bivoltine silk production had doubled within a year as the output had gone up from 1,700 tonnes in 2013-14 to 3,800 tonnes in 2014-15, Prabhu said.