Exhibition to showcase Indian varieties of non Mulberry silk

Bhubaneswar, Dec 28 (UNI)Orissa will host a five-day exhibition on Vanya silk to showcase all Indian varieties of non Mulberry silks under one roof to provide a platform for small manufacturers, handloom weavers and tribal artisans across the country.

The exhibition, organised by the Central Silk Board from January 3, 2007 next would have as many as 30 stalls from the Vanya silk manufacturers from the remote areas of Kokrajhar in Asom, Bhanadra in Maharashtra, Champa in Chhattisgarh, Banka, Jumui, Gumla of Bihar and Jharkhand and Ukkimat of Uttaranchal.

Talking to mediapersons here Central Silk Board Deputy Secretary K K Shetty said a ''Knowledge Pavilion'' would be set up in the exhibition to show the life cycle of Vanya Silkworm and latest development made by Central silk Board's Research Institutes in the fields of Vanya Silk.

He said the exhibition would bring a lot of opportunities to the silk Producers, manufacturers,exporters and consumers and provide a very useful platform for exchange of ideas, views, technologies, products and develop new contacts between various stakeholders besides striking critical business deals and discover suitable market linkages through Buyer-Sellers interactions.

According to Mr Shetty India is the only Country in the World producing all the four varieties of commercially exploitable silk such as Mulberry, Tasar Muga and Eri silks. While Mulberry silk was produced by the bigger farmers on a large scale, the Tasar, Eri and Muga silks, collectively called ''Vanya Silks were produced by small farmers mainly tribals.

The Central Silk Board in collaboration with the State Sericulture Department, has been providing support for the development of both Mulberry and Vanya Silks, he said adding that special emphasis would be given for the Vanya silk development as it is practiced by the tribal farmers belonging to BPL families.

India produces around 17,305 MT of silks which included 15,445 MT of Mulberry silk, accounting for 89 per cent and 1,860 MT Vanya silk nearly 11 per cent of the total silk production.

He said Mulberry silk has a global competition more particularly from country like China which controlled 80 per cent of the international market but Vanya silk, unique to India has no competition.

The Vanya silks have more potentialities to grow as ''Very Indian Silk'' in the global market.Being treated as tribal crafts of hill folks these silks have great commercial importance because of huge demand in Indian as well as foreign markets, the Deputy Secretary said.

The Central Silk Board, has recently developed pedal-cum-motor operated improved reeling-cum-twisting machines and improved spinning wheels to replace the traditional thigh reeling, naatwa, bhir reeling, takli spinning to make a revolution in Vanya Silk sector, Mr Shetty said.

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