Silk industry is one of the major employment generating sectors of the country. However, the employment generation data is not maintained centrally. The foreign exchange generated by the Indian silk industry during the last three years and the current year is given below:
| Year | Foreign Exchange generated through Exports (Mn. US$) |
| 2018-19 | 291 |
| 2019-20 | 247 |
| 2020-21 | 198 |
| 2021-22
(Till Dec-2021) |
211 |
Sericulture is an agriculture-based industry playing a vital role in development of the rural economy of our country. High employment potential, high returns, regular income at fixed intervals, women friendly & eco-friendly nature of occupation, are some of the salient features of sericulture.Further, the domestic consumption and export of silk & silk goods also contributes to the economy.
Raw silk production, consumption, import and export of silk in the country during each of the last three years and the current year are given below:
| Year | Raw silk Production (MTs) | Import of Raw silk (MTs) | Consumption (MTs) |
Export Earnings
(Mn. US$) |
| 2018-19 | 35,468 | 2,785 | 38,253 | 291 |
| 2019-20 | 35,820 | 3,315 | 39,135 | 247 |
| 2020-21 | 33,770 | 1,804 | 35,574 | 198 |
| 2021-22
(Till Dec-2021) |
26,587 | 1,377 | 31,620 | 211 |
The raw silk production targets fixed and achievements made during the last three years and the current year are given below:
| Year | Raw silk Production (MT) | |
| Target | Achievement | |
| 2018-19 | 35,960 | 35,468 |
| 2019-20 | 38,530 | 35,820 |
| 2020-21 | 39,000 | 33,770 |
| 2021-22
(*Till Dec-2021) |
39,500 | 26,587* |