Silk and its Production in India

• Silk is an insect fibre, with lustre, drape and strength. Because of these unique features, silk is known as the “Queen of Textiles”, the world over. 

• India is the second largest producer of silk in the world after China and also the largest consumer.

• India is the only country, which is producing all the four commercial varieties of silk, namely Mulberry, Tropical & Oak Tasar, Muga and Eri. The share of Mulberry Silk (74%) production is higher among all varieties.

• The major silk-producing states in the country are Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

• Karnataka contributed around 32.3% of the total silk production in the country during 2022-23. This was followed by Andhra Pradesh which had a share of 26.0% in the overall silk production during 2022-23.

• Bankura, Kolar, and Jamnagar have historically been important centers for silk weaving and production.