Tamil Nadu will achieve self-reliance in silk yarn production, says MSME Minister

Minister for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) T.M. Anbarasan said that the production of silk yarn, which was 1,834 metric tonnes, has now increased to 2,728 metric tonnes, and soon Tamil Nadu would achieve self-reliance in silk yarn production.

The Minister laid foundation for the construction of a government-integrated silk cocoon market at a cost of ₹2.20 crore at Rasipuram on Thursday in the presence of Adi Dravidar Welfare Minister M. Mathiventhan. In the function, the Minister distributed equipment worth ₹93.28 lakh to 152 silk farmers from Namakkal district.

The MSME Minister said the Chief Minister was implementing many schemes and providing welfare assistance to silk farmers to achieve self-sufficiency in silk production. The cocoon market in Rasipuram had been operational since 2021. Through this market, 385 metric tonnes of silk cocoons worth ₹16.50 crore had been traded in the last four years. The foundation was laid for the Rasipuram Integrated Cocoon Market at a cost of ₹2.20 crore following the demand from silk farmers.

Through this market, more than 4,000 silk farmers from Namakkal, Karur, Dindigul, Tiruchi, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Thanjavur, and Tiruvarur districts could benefit by selling their silk cocoons. The Chief Minister inaugurated the work to upgrade Tamil Nadu’s largest Government Silk Store in Dharmapuri to an integrated silk store complex at a cost of ₹19.20 crore. Likewise, for the benefit of silk farmers in the southern districts, a new cocoon market would be set up in Theni district at ₹3.50 crore soon, Mr. Anbarasan added.

In the last four years, in Namakkal district, 2,230 silk farmers had been provided with a subsidy of ₹14.90 crores, Mr. Anbarasan said that 16,313 silk farmers across Tamil Nadu had been provided with a subsidy of ₹183.16 crore. After the DMK came to power, 15,201 farmers who had planted mulberry on an area of 23,562 acres had been given a subsidy of ₹37.14 crore. The subsidy for silkworm rearing, which was being given to 800 farmers, had been increased to 1,500 silk farmers. From this year, this subsidy had been increased to 3,050 silk farmers and the Chief Minister increased the subsidy from ₹87,500 to ₹1.20 lakh. Under this scheme, ₹90.23 crore had been given to 5,332 farmers, the Minister added.

Later, Mr. Anbarasan, along with Tourism Minister R. Rajendran, inaugurated a laboratory at Salem Sagoserve, which was upgraded at ₹2.60 crore.