Assam’s Pat and Muga Silk Industry Faces Production Crisis Amid High Demand; Deficit Met by Imports

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: Assam’s Pat and Muga silk yarns are in great demand, but the producers have been unable to meet the requirement. Instead of increased production of these silks to meet the demand, the production is declining in Sualkuchi, the silk centre in the state. The industry is now under threat from mill products sourced from outside the state.

It is a matter of concern that Assam produces only 4% of the demand for Pat or Mulberry silk. The state produces 13,000 kg of yarn annually, while the demand is for 3,00,000 kg. The gap in production, amounting to 96%, is met through the import of yarn from West Bengal and Karnataka. The yarn is sourced by government agencies as well as businesses.

However, Assam has managed to retain its place as the highest producer of the golden Muga silk. With GI tag to Muga silk, only Assam can produce Muga silk legally. The production of Muga is tagged at 1,64,240 kg annually, while the demand is for 1,90,000 kg. This means that Assam produces 86% of the requirement, with a 25,560 kg deficit in production.

Official sources stated that although Muga is produced in many districts, there is uncultivated land measuring around 1071.23 hectares in government sericulture farms and centres. However, during Amrit Brikshya Andolan in 2022-23 and 2023-24, seedlings were planted in around 432.29 ha of the land, and the rest is still lying unutilised.

A total of 29,210 Muga farmers are registered in the state under the Directorate of Sericulture.

Sericulture has been practised in the state from time immemorial, and the state is proud of traditionally producing Muga, Eri, and Mulberry silks. Muga culture is endemic to Assam, and it is the largest producer of Muga silk in the world. Though Assam produces all 4 varieties of silk, major emphases have been given to the production of Muga and Eri Silk, which are popularly known as Vanya Silk.

Muga culture is mainly distributed in the districts of Kamrup, Goalpara, Udalguri, Kokrajhar, Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Sibsagar, Jorhat, Golaghat, Lakhimpur, and Dhemaji. Eri silk is produced across the state, especially in Kamrup, Goalpara, Udalguri, Darang, Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Sibsagar, Jorhat, Golaghat, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Nagaon, Morigaon, Darrang, Cachar, Karbi Anglong, N.C. Hills, Kokrajhar, and Dhubri districts. Production of Mulberry Silk has declined over the years and is restricted to Jorhat, Golaghat, Sibsagar, Darrang, etc., whereas Oak Tasar is confined to a very limited scale in North Cachar Hills and Karbi Anglong districts.

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