Guwahati: Tripura’s handloom and silk are famed and the need was for expansion on all fronts.

Now, a synergy of managing sericulture farms with a new project, setting up handloom clusters and attempting to create market linkages promises to widen the market for Tripura’s silk and handloom industry. Wait a while and you’ll be able to buy fine Tripura silk and handloom products in Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai.

“We have a centrally sponsored scheme worth Rs 31.1 crore called the bivoltine sericulture development project that will cover as many as 1100 beneficiaries,” Tarun Debbarma, the director of handloom, handicrafts, and sericulture department of Tripura told Business North East.

The fund has already received Rs 12.4 crore of which over Rs10 crore has already been spent. It is already giving results, evident in a 20-acre Kisan Nursery.

Bivoltine sericulture entails having two broods of silkworms per year. These silkworms produce better cocoons with high silk content and the silk is also of better quality and lives up to international standards.

The project will boost the cluster programme of the state, say sources. Debbarma’s department has created 21 clusters of which 19 are under the Mulberry Rearers Co-operative Societies.

There are 15,250 people engaged in rearing silkworms and as many as 538 acres is brought undermulberry cultivation. This year alone the mulberry cocoon production was over 40 tonnes.

The next interlocking mechanism needed is to have sustainable livelihood for the weavers. As many as 1.37 lakh weavers are involved in both cotton and silk looms, according to sources.

With domestic demand witnessing a rise, there is opportunity for both silkworm-rearers and weavers.

“We are seeing an increase in silk demand locally so any rise in domestic production will be welcome,” said Anindita Ray, proprietor of Mohul’s boutique in Agartala that sells exclusive hand-woven looms.

The state and centre have plans. Tripura has mapped out some 65 handloom clusters from which sales were Rs1.92 crore till October 2023, said Debbarma.

A cluster development project under the National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP) is being pushed forward.

“We have four CDPs in West Tripura District, inSipahijharadistrict and North Tripura district we have two CDPs while one each in Khowai, South Tripura, Gomati and Dhalai districts,” said Debbarma.

The department helped the weavers with two marketing events in 2023: the state handloom expo in Khowai and the National Handloom Expo held in Mumbai. That the synergy is working was evident in the Rs58 lakh sales from the Expo in Khowai and Rs 38 lakh sales in Mumbai.

The state government is not resting on its laurels, already conducting four skill upgradation training programmes and already organised four such programmes in 2023 benefiting 60 weavers.

Under the Comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development (CHCDS) centrally sponsored programme worth Rs 18 crore, target is 9600 beneficiaries. There are two common facility centers being constructed under the programme.

“We have 32 skill upgradation programme planned shortly and 10 design and technology upgrade programmes under which we are going to have an excursion to Shillong from November 3-8,” said Debbarma.

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