Union Minister of Textiles Giriraj Singh visited the Sericulture Training Institute (STI) at Zemabawk on Monday, accompanied by Mizoram’s Sericulture Minister Lalthansanga and senior officials from the Central Silk Board.
The programme began with a ceremonial plantation of Som tree saplings, the primary food source for Muga silkworms, followed by an inspection of the Silk Reeling Factory within the STI campus. Later, the Union Minister interacted with farmers and weavers at a function held in the institute’s Conference Hall.
Addressing participants, Singh extended greetings to farmers from 211 villages across Mizoram and emphasized the state’s unique distinction as the only Northeastern region capable of producing all four varieties of silk Muga, Eri, Mulberry, and Tasar. He noted that nearly 6,000 farmers and 19,000 individuals across 11 districts depend on sericulture for their livelihood, and praised the sector’s steady growth of 5.5–6% in recent years.
Outlining his vision, the Minister proposed a cluster-based approach to accelerate progress, suggesting that Lunglei, Champhai, Saitual, and Siaha be designated as “Muga districts,” while other districts focus on different silk varieties. He announced that substantial funds have already been sanctioned under Silk Samagra 2.0 and encouraged healthy competitions among farmers to recognize top performers. Singh also Emphasized plans to explore collaboration with the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) to support weavers and entrepreneurs engaged in silk-based textile production.
Sericulture Minister Lalthansanga expressed gratitude for the progress achieved under central schemes but stressed the need for further infrastructure development. He noted that cocoon processing units have been established under Silk Samagra 2.0, with Mizo farmers now selling cocoons to other states, and reaffirmed the department’s priority under the state’s flagship programme Bana Kaih.
The Union Minister was accompanied by senior officials including Textile Commissioner Vrunda Manohar Desai, CSB Member Secretary P. Siva Kumar, and Mizoram Sericulture Department Secretary Florence Zotluangpuii, among others.
