Major breakthrough for silk industry

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, JUNE 16. A consignment of silk worth Rs. 15 lakhs was released for export to China from the Central Silk Board here on Saturday.

The Hanuman Weaving Factory of the Shantala Silks and Saris in Bangalore received the order worth Rs. 25 lakhs from the Sino- Italy Apparel Company Ltd., which is the sister concern of Zejiang Silk Import and Export Corporation, China's biggest silk trade organisation.

This is considered as a major breakthrough in the history of Indian silk industry.

The next consignment will be despatched in July or August.

The products ordered by the company include natural silk yarn, fabrics, ready-made garments, silk carpets and silk waste.

``It is a proud moment for the Indian silk industry,'' the Minister for Sericulture and Textiles, Mr. M. Mahadev, who released the consignment for export at the Board, said.

He said it was being planned to amend the Silk Exchange Act for offering incentives and remove the bottlenecks in the silk industry.

The farmers would be given Rs. 50,000 as subsidy for silkworm breeding besides interest-free loans.

The State Government had come up with an ambitious Rs. 1,000- crore project, ``Reshme Sampattu'', for the silk industry.

The main objective of the project, which would be implemented over five years, was to meet the increased demand for quality silk yarn in global market and production of quality silk at competitive rates.

The State would host an International Silk Conference in Bangalore in December, he added.

The Chairman of the Board, Mr. K. S. Eshwarappa, and Mr. Joy Oommen, its working member, were present.

The Minister for Sericulture and Textiles, Mr. M. Mahadev, and the Chairman of the Central Silk Board, Mr. K. S. Eshwarappa, looking at the silk fabrics, which form part of the first export consignment to China, in Bangalore onSaturday.

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