The Government has conducted a study, viz., ‘Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on Indian silk industry’ to ascertain the crisis caused to the sector and it has been observed that there was a production decline and monetary loss at every stage of the value chain.

The industry has faced various problems like loss in production, crash in cocoon and raw silk prices, transportation problem, non-availability of skilled workers, problems in selling raw silk and silk products, working capital and cash flow problems, non-availability of raw materials, reduction in demand for silk fabric, cancellation of export/import orders besides export and import restrictions.

Since textile sector is one of the highly unorganised sectors, the Government has not made any formal assessment with regard to the losses incurred by the sector.

This information was shared by Union Minister of Textiles, Smriti Irani in Lok Sabha. However, she did share any figure or specific date in this regard.

She also informed that the global pandemic of COVID-19 has affected the existing modus operandi of various textile sectors by posting restrictions of social gathering, migration of labourers as well as affecting all the stakeholders right from farmers to traders/exporters in the value chain of textile sector and at the same time it has opened new window of opportunities which were previously less explored.

The Minister also informed that as on 13 September 2020, a total of 1.42 crore PPE kits had been supplied to HLL Lifecare Ltd. (the procurement arm of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW)) for use of health professionals in Government hospitals.

Apart from supply to MoHFW, more than 1 crore PPE coveralls have been supplied by indigenous manufacturers to State Governments and private hospitals.