CASIRJ Volume 8 Issue 9 [Year - 2017] ISSN 2319 – 9202 International Research Journal of Commerce Arts and Science http://www.casirj.com Page 309 Sericulture Industry in India: An Overview Aabid Hussain Naik M.Com, M.Phil, NET, B.Ed, (Ph.D) Abstract The reduction of rural poverty continues to be a paramount goal of the developing countries like India as the majority of the poor population still resides in the countryside. The World Bank, for example, estimates that more than 70 % of the world’s poor live in rural areas. So far, various strategies have been pursued to address this concern and among the major ones is rural employment creation. Being a rural agro-based labour intensive industry this sector can also play vibrant role in checking migration from rural to urban areas. In this article, the present status of the sericulture industry in India, its trends, position in global sericulture and science and technological achievements have been reviewed. This article would be helpful in recognizing the potential, strength and challenges of the sericulture industry in India so as to formulate certain policies and measures for socio-economic development. Keywords: Indian silk, Agriculture, sericulture, standards, silk board INTRODUCTION Silk is considered the queen of textiles fibers because of its unique properties, which compile lightness with warmth, sheerness with strength, delicacy with resilience. Though it commands a high price which only the rich can afford, yet the industry is extremely important for the poor. The pattern and structure of silk income distribution reveals that the major share of it goes to poor farmers who rear silk worms and produce cocoons. As per the percentage distribution, cocoon producers account for 54.6% ; silk rears share a 6.6% ; Twisters receive 8.7% ; Weavers get 12.3% whereas traders take 17.8% of the income generated from the manufactured and sale of silk. (source sericulture Development department) Sericulture has become an important rural industry in India. India is the second major silk producing country in the world after China. Though major production here is being consumed internally nevertheless the silk industry promises a lot of export potential. India is the only silk producing country which produces all the commercially known varieties of silk, viz., Mulberry, Tasar, Eri and Muga. However, over 90% of silk produced is mulberry silk only. Moreover mulberry silk production is relatively better organized and is steadily increasing. The production of mulberry silk is largely confined to Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, west Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir. Karnataka accounts for about 65% of the total production of mulberry silk while Jammu and Kashmir produces 0.66% only. Sericulture assumes a special significance in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. This is the only traditional Univoltine belt in India capable of producing silk comparable to the qualities of exquisite imported raw silk of standard quality in the international markets. Its climate is