Context:
Eri Silk obtained the Oeko-Tex certification from Germany.
Eri Silk:
- Primarily produced in Northeast India
- Renowned as the world’s only vegan silk
- Unlike traditional silk harvesting methods, eri silk allows moths to naturally emerge from their cocoons, preserving their lives.
- Other Types of Silk in India –
- Mulberry Silk – Accounts for the largest share of silk production in India; particularly cultivated in southern states like Karnataka.
- Tasar Silk – Primarily produced in Central India and Jharkhand
- Muga Silk – Indigenous to Assam
Silk Production in India:
- Global Standing – India is the 2nd largest silk producer in the world, contributing 42% of global production as of 2023.
- Regional Contribution – Karnataka is the leading state, contributing around 32% of India’s total silk production, followed by Andhra Pradesh.
- Famous silk weaving enclaves – Kancheepuram, Arni (Tamil Nadu) Dharmavaram (Andhra Pradesh)
- Govt initiatives –
- Central Silk Board – A statutory body established in 1948; Operates under Ministry of Textiles.
- ‘Silk Samagra’, a Central Sector Scheme for the development of sericulture in the country.
Source: PIB
Previous Year Question
With reference to “Gucchi” sometimes mentioned in the news, consider the following statements:
1. It is a fungus.
2. It grows in some Himalayan forest areas.
3. It is commercially cultivated in the Himalayan foothills of north-eastern India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2022 Prelims]
(a) 1 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 1 and 2
(d) 2 and 3
Answer: (c)
Explanation:
Statement 3 is not correct. Gucchi mushroom grow wild in some regions of Himalaya.