The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Local silk sector to be protected

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Tuesday, Aug 26, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Local silk sector to be protected

Special Correspondent

Crackdown planned on smuggled yarn

75 p.c. of country’s silk output comes from State
Fluctuating cocoon prices also proving to be a worry

Bangalore: The State Government has decided to take steps to prevent silk yarn from being smuggled into the State.

Minister for Sericulture and Small Industries Venkataramanappa told presspersons here on Monday that the easy entry of Chinese silk yarn was killing the local sericulture industry. Therefore, the State Government had no choice but to prevent the entry of smuggled yarn. “We will also seek the support of the Union Government and neighbouring States.”

Talks held

Mr. Venkataramanappa said he had already held discussions with the Sericulture ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. If possible, all of them would call on the Union Minister and officials concerned and tell them that local silk yarn had to be given support.

While Karnataka is a major silk producing State, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal also have high stakes in the sericulture industry. Karnataka produces nearly 75 per cent of the country’s silk output.

The Sericulture Minister said that apart from the flow of Chinese silk yarn, local sericulture farmers had also been hit by the fluctuating cocoon prices. “I have sent a proposal to the Finance Department to provide a support price incentive of Rs. 50 a kg of cocoon when the price drops below Rs. 100. Presently, the Government gives a support incentive of Rs. 40. The present rate of cocoon varies between Rs. 120 and Rs. 150 a kg.”

Subsidy

The State also provides a five per cent subsidy on the production of bivoltine silk, 75 percent subsidy for drip irrigation in mulberry cultivation and 75 per cent subsidy for houses built by mulberry growers and others connected with the sericulture industry.

Mr. Venkataramanappa said he would also conduct surprise checks in silk exchanges and other trading areas of the industry. “Middlemen are dictating prices, and this is another important aspect that has hit the local sericulture industry. This has to be curbed. I am also aware that there is a nexus between some officials of the Sericulture Department and the traders. We are also in touch with the Central Silk Board,” he said.

‘My position safe’

Asked about the present political situation in the light of some legislators quitting resigning from the Legislative Assembly to join the Bharatiya Janata Party and the manner in which a Minister (S.K. Bellubbi) had been asked to resign to accommodate a new entrant to the party, Mr. Venkataramanappa said his position “is not threatened”.

It was Mr. Venkataramanappa and four other independents who initially extended support to the BJP enabling B.S. Yeddyurappa to form the Government.

Mr. Venkataramanappa said he and the other four other independents had given a commitment to stand by the Government for the full term of the Assembly and there was no change in their stand. “I am confident that the BJP will also stand by its commitment to us.”

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