WOOLLEN AND SILK TEXTILE INDUSTRY WOOLLEN TEXTILE INDUSTRY

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