Guwahati, July 7 (KNN) The silk industry of Sualkuchi has been hit hard due to the rising prices of silk yarn and the flooding of cheap polyester cloth in the market.

Around 20,000 looms in sualkuchi produce more than 30 lakh linier meters of handwoven silk fabrics worth over Rs 90 crore a year.

The silk yarn prices have recently gone up from Rs 5,200/kg to Rs 9,600/kg.

The Sualkuchi Tat Silpi Santha, the lone wavers’ association of the village, has demanded proper implementation of the Handloom Reservation Act 1985 to save the industry, which is on the verge of dying.

The association has also demanded the supply of raw materials at mill rate and the purchase of handloom products from the weavers at a minimum support price (MSP).

Khanin Kumar Das, member of the Sualkuchi Tat Silpa Unnayan Samiti, said, "The underlying trend of inflation, as well as the growing demand for machine-made polyester silk clothes, have posed a threat to the handloom industry of the state."

"The rising price of yarn has left small-scale weavers to die of starvation. Moreover, the downfall of the market for handwoven silk clothes has raised a serious concern. Even the bigger silk factories in Sualkuchi are now struggling to survive," he said.  (KNN Bureau)