As the second largest producer of silk worldwide, India accounts for almost 18% of raw silk production globally and produces all types of commercially useful silks such as natural silk yarns and fabrics, made ups, readymade garments, silk carpets, and silk waste. The sector employs 7.6 million people. Silk production in India increased to 26.5 billion tons in 2014 from 23.7 billion tons in 2012.
In 2015, Indian silk exports came up to $449.7 million with readymade garments composing 68% of silk export earnings and natural silk yarn, fabrics, and made-ups comprising the remaining 28% of silk export earnings. Besides the U.A.E. and the United States, the U.K., France, Italy, and Germany are other major markets for India’s silk exports.
India produces four types of silk fiber: Mulberry, Eri, Tasar, and Muga. In 2015, Mulberry accounted for 74.7% of raw silk produced while Eri accounted for 16.3%, Tasar accounted for 8.4%, and Muga accounted for 0.6%. Muga is especially unique due to its golden sheen. It is mostly restricted to Assam and other north-eastern states, only recently spreading to West Bengal. The Tasar silk is more tropical and is produced mainly in parts of central India such as Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh. Eri is grown in Assam and a few other north-eastern states such as Bihar, West Bengal, and Odisha.
Some silk producing areas are Sualkuchi in Assam, Bhagalpur in Bihar, Surat and Cambay in Gujarat, and Dharmavaram and Pochampalli in Andhra Pradesh.
