Treasure trove woven in silk

July 24: The quality of their silk has captured hearts and their designs have sizzled ramps. But the path trudged by silk producers and weavers of Dhemaji is a far cry from the exquisite designs they create on this lustrous fabric.

The only silver lining for these people is a project launched by the Dhemaji administration to promote sericulture and give traditional Mising designs a modern perspective.

Project Subansiri will give weavers the opportunity to not only undergo training but also tap larger markets and transform this sector into an organised one. Dhemaji has always been renowned for the skills of its weavers and silk products. The aesthetic Mising designs on fine fabrics have carved a niche for themselves in and outside the state.

The best quality of raw muga is produced in the district. According to a rough estimate, nearly three crore cocoons are produced every year in Dhemaji and the bulk of this is supplied to Sualkuchi, which has come to be known as the Manchester of the East.

“Although quality remains high, silk producers and weavers of Dhemaji have yet to reap the fruits of their labour. Silk producers have not been able to grab the market. As for the weavers, the district administration has realised that they lack professionalism and do not have the technological knowhow to produce finished products with a global appeal,” an official said.

Sericulture experts believe the district has the potential to be the leader in terms of producing both silk and finished products. “Since there is no other industrial activity and employment opportunities are limited across the district, this project will go a long way in making the district and its people self-reliant,” one of them said.

A cocoon bank will be set up to ensure that cocoon producers get a minimum support price for their produce. “A strategy will be drawn up to enhance efficiency and maintain quality in production of muga yarn by introducing advanced reeling machines and training the weavers,” the official said.

Training centres will be set up in various parts of the district to create a network of all weavers under one umbrella. This will also help in increasing the per capita income of the weavers.

The District Rural Development Agency will play a major role in implementing the project. It has plans to introduce sophisticated looms for improving the quality of fabric and engage designers to blend muga and eri with Mising designs to make its presence felt both in the domestic and international market.

The project will also involve self-help groups of the district engaged in rearing muga, reeling, weaving and marketing finished products.