BENGALURU: Union government is all set to launch its second centre of excellence for sericulture in Bengaluru. This will provide a fillip to Karnataka’s status as the premier sericulture hub of India.
The first such centre was set up in Ranchi, Jharkhand. The Central Silk Board has set up the centre to boost the silk industry, which is going through a tough phase.
“Union minister for Textiles Smriti Irani would launch the centre on Tuesday. She would also launch the automatic reeling machine at the Central Silk Board premises in the city. It will enable the Board to attain self-sufficiency and bring silk import to zero level by 2020,” Central Silk Board chairman K M Hanumantharayappa said here on Monday.
“The country now imports nearly 4,000 metric tonnes of high quality raw silk from China,” he added.
The automatic reeling machine can produce about 20 metric tonnes of silk per year utilizing cocoons produced by around 200 local farmers.
“Indigenously manufactured machine costs `65 lakh as compared to `75 lakh of those imported from China. The Board would offer 50 per cent subsidy to those who install such machines,” Hanumantharayappa said.
At present, the country is producing nearly 4,000 tonnes of 4A grade of silk, equivalent to the top grade of silk imported from China.