Raw silk export slumps to Rs 2,093 crore in 2016-17

Raw silk export from the country declined to Rs 2,093.42 crore in 2016-17, from Rs 2,495.98 crore in the previous fiscal, Parliament was informed today.
Minister of State for Textiles Ajay Tamta, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha, said raw silk production in 2016-17, however, increased to 30,348 tonnes. It was 28,523 tonnes in 2015-16.
He added that basic Customs duty of 10 per cent has been imposed on imported raw silk to protect domestic sericulturists.
About 85.16 lakh people were part of sericulture and silk industry last fiscal.