Sericulture Process in India: Importance and Types

Table of Contents

• History of Sericulture
• What is Sericulture?
• Importance of Silk Production in India
• Types of Silk
  • Mulberry Silk
  • Eri Silk
  • Tasar Silk
  • Muga Silk
• Sericulture Process
  • Moriculture
  • Rearing of Silkworm
  • Silk Reeling
• Geographical Indications of Indian Silk
• Major Silk Producing States in India
• Some Common Challenges Faced in Sericulture

History of Sericulture

In 2700 BC, the Chinese discovered silk production from B.mori silkworm species. According to the Chinese legend it is said that the great prince, Hoang-ti, told his wife, Si-ling-chi, to examine the silkworm and understand the use of the silk thread it produces. Later on, Si-ling-chi found ways to raise silkworms for silk production and laid the foundation of silkworm sericulture.

The history of sericulture in India began around 300 A.D. when a Chinese princess brought silkworm eggs and the seed of mulberry tree to India. From there silk production began in India and today India is the second largest silk producing country in the world.

What is Sericulture?

The word Sericulture is derived from the Greek word ‘Sericos’ meaning ‘silk’ and ‘culture’ meaning ‘rearing’. In sericulture, silkworms are cultivated to get silk, and the most used silkworm species is Bombyx Mori. Other species of silkworms like Eri, Muga, and Tasar are also used to produce wild silks.

Sericulture farming also includes the cultivation of mulberry plants as the primary food source for silkworms. Mulberry trees are a perennial crop, so there is no shortage of foliage, and this tree also helps conserve soil with its deep roots. Mulberry can be cultivated as an intercrop and can easily be grown in hill slopes, watershed areas, etc. Currently, only about 0.1% of India's fertile land is used for mulberry cultivation.

Importance of Silk Production in India

India is the second largest producer of silk in the world. As per IBEF, among the four varieties of silk produced in 2024-25, Mulberry accounted for 75.8%, Tasar 4.58%, Eri 19.18%, and Muga 0.56% of the total raw silk production of 41,121 metric tonnes. As of FY25 the sericulture sector offers employment to around 9.76 million people, especially in rural and semi-urban regions. Additionally, sericulture activities are widely dispersed across approximately 52,500 villages.

The importance of sericulture in India is explained below:

• Sericulture is an Agro-based rural industry with large labor involvement and high-income generation potential.
• It is one of the most beneficial types of industry for marginal and small-scale farmers.
• Women from rural areas also participate in sericulture which contributes to women’s empowerment.
• Mulberries require less water, so it is beneficial for farmers to grow this type of silk in low rainfall areas.
• It gives self-employment opportunities to the youth in rural areas.
• Silkworms and mulberries have many pharmaceutical properties.
• Many by-products are obtained from sericulture activities like the dry mulberry twigs that can be used as fuel.

Types of Silk

• Mulberry Silk
• Eri Silk
• Tasar Silk
• Muga Silk

India is unique in producing all four types of silk. The following are the four types of silkworms. Let’s understand in detail.

Mulberry Silk

Mulberry silk comes from the silkworm, Bombyx Mori L. Silkworms feed on mulberry leaves. Hence, the rearing of silkworms involves cultivation of mulberry trees, which provides a regular supply of leaves. These silkworms are completely domesticated and reared indoors. Mulberry silk is pure white in color.

Eri Silk

Eri silk is the product of the domesticated silkworm, Philosamia ricini that feeds mainly on castor leaves. It is also known as Endi or Errandi, Eri is a multivoltine silk spun from open-ended cocoons, unlike other varieties of silk. A white or bright red silk is produced from this type.

Tasar Silk

Tasar silk is generated by the silkworm, Antheraea mylitta which thrives on food plants like Asan and Arjun. The rearing is conducted in nature openly. It is less lustrous than mulberry silk but has its own feel and appeal. It is usually produced in a copper color.

Muga Silk

Muga silk is obtained from semi-domesticated multivoltine silkworm, Antheraea assamensis. These silkworms feed on the aromatic leaves of Som and Soalu plants and are reared on trees like that of Tasar. It produces a bright, golden yellow color.

Sericulture Process

• Moriculture
• Rearing of Silkworm
• Silk Reeling

Sericulture process consists of three steps. Let’s discuss each in detail.

Moriculture

Moriculture is the cultivation of mulberry plants. The leaves are used as food for silkworms. They can be grown by three different methods:

• Seed cultivation
• Root-grafting
• Stem grafting

There are basically three species cultivated in India namely Morus Alba, Morus Indica and Morus Nigra. But the most preferred one is Morus Alba because it grows well in loamy soil. Neutral pH is suitable for the healthier mulberry plants. The mulberry leaves can be taken up as a feed for silkworm after harvesting for the next cocoon stage.

Rearing of Silkworm

The rearing of silkworms begins with the laying of eggs by female silk moths. One single female silk moth produces 300-500 eggs. A 2% formalin solution is needed to disinfect the eggs. The eggs need suitable temperatures so that young caterpillars or silkworms break the shell and come out of the egg. The best time is when mulberry leaves bear fresh leaves. Silkworms feed on the mulberry leaves and grow. Along with mulberry leaves, the silkworms are kept in clean bamboo trays for about 25-30 days. After some days, the cocoon is formed with silk fiber, and the caterpillar develops into a silk moth.

Silk Reeling

Silk reeling is the next step after silk rearing. The cocoons are kept under the hot sun or exposed to steam, to separate the silk fibers. This process is called stifling. Silk reeling is the process of separating silk threads from the cocoon of the silkworm. The harvesting of silk from these cocoons is the final stage of sericulture. The filament of threads is removed by using different machines to form reels. This spinning of silk fiber produces silk yarn or silk thread. By weaving the yarn, silk fabric is produced. This is the final silk produced for garment construction.

Geographical Indications of Indian Silk

• Baluchari Saree - West Bengal
• Salem Silk - Tamil Nadu
• Arani Silk - Tamil Nadu
• Molakalmuru Sarees - Karnataka
• Ilkal Sarees - Karnataka
• Muga Silk - Assam
• Orissa Ikat - Odisha
• Kancheepuram Silk - Tamil Nadu
• Mysore Silk - Karnataka
• Chanderi Fabric - Madhya Pradesh

Major Silk Producing States in India

In India, the share of mulberry production is the largest among other types of silk. The major silk-producing states in India are Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

Some Common Challenges Faced in Sericulture

Silkworms can get affected by several diseases and sometimes by pests also can affect their growth. Below, we have listed some important challenges faced in sericulture:

• Pebrine disease infects the eggs, and the larvae can die before hatching. Also, the infected larvae develop dark spots and become lethargic.
• Viral infections in the larvae shrink their bodies and start giving off an unpleasant odor.
• A fungus can cause Muscardine infection that makes the larvae extremely feeble, and it eventually dies.
• Some mites produce a toxic substance that kills silkworms.