WOOLLEN AND SILK TEXTILE INDUSTRY

WOOLLEN TEXTILE INDUSTRY ONE OF THE OLDEST TEXTILE INDUSTRIES IN INDIA. MODERN WOOLLEN TEXTILE INDUSTRY STARTED WITH ESTABLISHMENT OF “LAL IMLI” AT KANPUR. RURAL BASED, EXPORT ORIENTED INDUSTRY. PROVIDES EMPLOYMENT TO AROUND 30 LAKHS. INDUSTRY DEPENDENT ON IMPORTED RAW MATERIAL BECAUSE DOMESTIC PRODUCE IS INADEQUATE. WOOL IS THE ONLY NATURAL FIBRE IN WHICH INDIA IS DEFICIENT. SMALL QUANTITY OF SPECIALITY FIBRE OBTAINED FROM PASHMINA SHEEP AND ANGORA RABBITS

DISTRIBUTION OF WOOLLEN TEXTILE INDUSTRY MAIN CONCENTRATION IN PUNJAB, HARYANA, MAHARASHTRA, UTTAR PRADESH, GUJRAT, KARNATAKA, WEST BENGAL AND JAMMU & KASHMIR. PUNJAB LEADS – DHARIWAL = LARGEST CENTRE. OTHER CENTRES = LUDHIANA, AMRITSAR. MAHARASHTRA – CENTRE AT MUMBAI UTTAR PRADESH – CENTRE AT KANPUR. GUJARAT – AHMEDABAD KASHMIR – WOOLLEN PRODUCTS PREPARED FROM LOCALLY AVAILABLE FINE QUALITY WOOL. – READY MARKET THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. IMPORTANT CENTRE - SRINAGAR

WOOLLEN CARPETS AND FELTS PRIMARILY A COTTAGE INDUSTRY – FLOURISHES WHERE CHEAP SKILLED LABOUR IS AVAILABLE READILY. IMPORTANT CARPET PRODUCING CENTRES = AGRA IN UP/ JAIPUR IN RAJASTHAN, SRINAGAR IN JAMMU & KASHMIR, AMRITSAR IN PUNJAB, BANGALORE IN KARNATAKA, GWALIOR IN MADHYA PRADESH. ABOUT 90 PER CENT OF TOTAL PRODUCTION EXPORTED MAINLY TO USA, BRITAIN, CANADA, AUSTRALIA.

REASONS WHY KASHMIR IS FAMOUS FOR CARPET MAKING RAW MATERIAL FROM SHEEP AVAILABLE – PASHMINA AND ANGORA. SKILLED CRAFTSMEN AVAILABLE.

PROBLEMS OF WOOLLEN TEXTILE INDUSTRY SHORTAGE OF RAW WOOL – INFERIOR QUALITY – NOT TO INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS. LACK OF MARKET – MOST AREAS HAVE TROPICAL CLIMATE – SOUTHERN PARTS DO NOT REQUIRE WOOLLEN CLOTHES AT ALL/ NORTHERN PARTS HAVE WINTERS LASTING AROUND FOUR TO FIVE MONTHS. THE INDUSTRY THEREFORE HAS A SEASONAL PHENOMENON. DURING HOT MONTHS PRODUCTION IS MAINLY CARRIED OUT FOR THE ARMED FORCES AND FOR EXPORT. LACK OF MODERN EQUIPMENT LOW QUALITY – NOT SHRINK RESISTANT, MOTH PROOF AND FAST COLOURED.

SILK INDUSTRY INDIA PRODUCES ALL FOUR VARIETIES OF SILK – MULBERRY TUSSAR ERI MUGA TOUGH COMPETITION WITH JAPAN

PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION A POPULAR HANDLOOM INDUSTRY. MAJOR PRODUCERS – KARNATAKA WEST BENGAL JAMMU & KASHMIR KARNATAKA – LARGEST PRODUCER – PRODUCES ONLY MULBERRY SILK MAIN CENTRE = MYSORE, BANGALORE, MANDYA 50 PER CENT OF INDIA’S SILK PRODUCED IN KARNATAKA

REASONS WHY BANGALORE AND MYSORE ARE WELL DEVELOPED IN SILK INDUSTRY # KARNATAKA ENJOYS FAVOURABLE CLIMATE FOR REARING SILKWORMS # KARNATAKA IS THE HUB OF SKILLED WORKERS REQUIRED FOR THE PRODUCTION. KARNATAKA HAS ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY. HIGHER LEAF YIELDING MULBERRY VARIETIES IMPROVED SILK WORM SPECIES.

PROBLEMS OF SILK INDUSTRY INCREASING IMPORTS OF RAW SILK FROM CHINA AT LOW PRICES HAS DISTRACTED FARMERS FROM SERICULTURE. OBSOLETE REELING AND WEAVING TECHNOLOGY LIMITS PRODUCTIVITY AND PROFIT. DELAY IN RELEASE OF FUNDS BY GOVERNMENT SYNTHETIC SUBSTITUTES PROVIDE STIFF COMPETITION. POOR SUPPLY OF SEED COCOONS