Rs 18-crore eri silk project covering 300 farmers has produced 7,500 kg of raw silk; experts say marketing and product diversification are key to long-term sustainability
The Centre of Excellence- cum-Sericulture Resource Centre at Chungtia village was formally inaugurated on Tuesday, nearly three years after the facility was completed in 2023, with experts calling for greater focus on marketing, product diversification and sustainability to strengthen the village’s eri silk sector.
The centre, established under the Eri Silk Development for Women Empowerment (ESDWE) project, was inaugurated by Dr Kartik Neog, Director of the Central Muga Eri Research & Training Institute (CMER&TI), Lahdoigarh, Jorhat, Assam.
Organisers told Mokokchung Times that although the building was completed in 2023, its formal inauguration was delayed as the village had hoped to have a senior Union government representative officiate the event, resulting in the ceremony being postponed several times.
The ESDWE project was launched during the 2019-20 financial year with Chungtia Village Council serving as the executing agency.
Speaking on the sidelines of the programme, Dr Neog said the project was funded through the Central Silk Board under the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India. According to him, Chungtia Village Council received approval for a project worth around Rs 18 crore for the development of sericulture in the village, with nearly 90 per cent of the funding provided through the Ministry of Textiles.
He said the initiative covered around 300 eri farmers and has contributed significantly to increasing production in the village.
“Before the project, the farmers were cultivating eri on a small scale and production was low. Today, around 7,500 kilograms of raw silk has been produced by the village annually under the project,” he said.
Dr Neog described the achievements in infrastructure creation and production as satisfactory but stressed that the next phase must focus on marketing and product diversification.
“Silk today is used in a variety of products. The village should think about entering markets, producing yarn and fibres and exploring other products,” he said.
Addressing the gathering, Dr Neog noted that India produced nearly 800 metric tonnes of eri silk during 2024-25, while Nagaland’s contribution stood at 408 metric tonnes. He observed that the state’s production remained low compared to neighbouring Assam and Meghalaya despite possessing significant potential.
WATCH | CMER&TI officials on Chungtia’s eri silk journey
He said CMER&TI remains committed to providing technical support and guidance to eri farmers and suggested creating a WhatsApp group involving scientists and villagers to facilitate communication and technical assistance. He also encouraged stakeholders to work towards developing a unique selling proposition (USP) for Nagaland’s silk products.
Dr Vijay N, Scientist-D and Nodal Officer of CMER&TI, described Chungtia as a unique village with both pre-cocoon and post-cocoon activities. He said Nagaland’s largely chemical-free farming practices offer significant advantages for sericulture development.
Highlighting the economic potential of eri farming, Dr Vijay said rearing 50 disease-free layings (DFLs) could generate around Rs 40,000 per month, while 100 DFLs could potentially yield up to Rs 1.8 lakh.
He also encouraged villagers to explore natural dyeing techniques using locally available materials such as onion and turmeric and focus on innovation and value addition.
Speaking about challenges facing the sector, Dr Neog pointed to difficulties in obtaining quality seeds at the right time, limitations posed by Nagaland’s terrain for commercial castor cultivation and poor road connectivity in many areas.
He expressed hope that the state government would address infrastructure gaps to support the growth of sericulture.
Imtitoshi, secretary of the ESDWE project, said the village council was continuing efforts to increase production and strengthen farmer participation. While expressing optimism about the project’s future, he acknowledged that sustaining momentum would require continued cooperation from farmers and stakeholders.
The project traces its origins to a 2019 visit by former Union Minister of Textiles Smriti Zubin Irani to Chungtia village. Villagers said the project was later sanctioned following discussions during the visit and has since become one of the largest sericulture initiatives in the district.
Imtitoshi delivered the welcome address at the inaugural program, while District Sericulture Officer Imonger also spoke on the occasion.
