KVIC opens first silk processing plant in Gujarat

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SME Times News Bureau | 03 Jan, 2020
KVIC on Friday has opened first Silk processing plant in Gujarat's Surendranagar to cut down the cost of production of silk yarn "drastically" and increase the sale and availability of raw material for Patola sarees ij the local market.

Patola, the trademark silk saree from Gujarat, is considered to be very costly and worn only by the royals and the aristocrats.

The initiative was taken by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC). The plant has been set up by a khadi institution at a cost of Rs 75 lakh in which KVIC has contributed Rs 60 lakh, said Ministry of Micro,Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), adding the unit has employed 90 local women, 70 of which belong to the Muslim community.

"Reason being the raw material silk yarn is purchased from Karnataka or West Bengal, where silk processing units are situated, thus increasing the cost of the fabric manifolds," the MSME Ministry said.

Cocoons will be brought from Karnataka and West Bengal and silk yarn will be processed in-house, thus reducing the cost of production and giving a major boost to the sale of famous Patola sarees, said V. K. Saxena, Chairman, KVIC.

Surendranagar district is a backward district in Gujarat where KVIC has invested Rs 60 lakh to build the Silk Processing Plant, in order to generate livelihood and boost sales of Patola Sarees by making silk more ready available at a low cost, for the Patola Saree manufacturers in the nearby area.Traditionally, every region in India has had its own unique weave for the Silk Saree. It is quite notable that Patola Silk Saree is amongst the top five silk weaves which are desired in every Indian Saree Lover's wardrobe.