In order to boost India’s raw silk production, ASSOCHAM has recommended extension of anti-dumping duty on imports of raw silk from China till December 2015. There are 51,000 villages operating over 3.28 lakh handlooms and over 45,800 powerlooms with over 8.14 lakh weavers in India, who could otherwise suffer, if China is allowed to dump their silk in the country.
In January 2003, Government of India had imposed an anti-dumping duty on imports of Mulberry Raw Silk (not thrown) of 2A grade and below from China which remained in force until January 2008 and was subsequently extended till January 2014 after a sunset review. “Clocking compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of about eight per cent, India’s total silk imports have increased from over US $ 124 million in 2000-01 to about US $ 312 million 2012-13 with raw silk alone comprising for about 73% of these imports worth over US $ 227 million,” highlighted the ASSOCHAM study.
China is the biggest exporter of raw silk to India accounting for almost 99% of exported raw silk worth US $ 224.5 million as of 2012-13, highlighted the study carried out by the ASSOCHAM Economic Research Bureau (AERB). “Raw silk imports from China have grown at over 7% CAGR during 2000-01 and 2012-13.”
