The Ministry of Textiles has inaugurated a new silkworm seed production facility in Jorhat, Assam, designed to boost sericulture in the North-Eastern Region. The facility, built at the Central Silk Board’s Silkworm Seed Production Centre in Rowriah, includes a modern grainage building and cold storage unit capable of producing and preserving large quantities of disease-free silkworm seeds annually.
Union Minister of State for Textiles Pabitra Margherita opened the facility on 8 October 2026 in the presence of state and central officials, including the Member of Parliament from Kaziranga and the Director of Sericulture, Government of Assam. The new infrastructure is intended to ensure steady supply of quality silkworm seeds to farmers across the region and improve seed production efficiency.
Key facts
- Annual production capacity: 30 lakh Disease-Free Layings (DFLs) of mulberry hybrid seed
- Storage capacity: up to 1 crore DFLs
- Location: Rowriah, Jorhat, Assam
- Funding scheme: North-East Region Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS)
- Assam produces 79% of India’s Muga silk and 74% of Eri silk
- North-Eastern Region sericulture employment: approximately 29.50 lakh persons (2025-26)
- Regional silk production (April-July 2026-27): 142 MT mulberry silk, 3 MT Tasar silk, 2890 MT Eri silk, 87 MT Muga silk
What the new facility does
The grainage building and cold storage centre functions as a production and preservation hub for silkworm seeds. A grainage is a space where silkworm moths lay eggs under controlled conditions to produce disease-free seeds. The cold storage maintains the viability of seeds until farmers are ready to use them. Together, these facilities ensure farmers receive healthy seeds at the right time during the sericulture season.
The facility focuses on mulberry hybrid silkworm seeds, which are used in traditional sericulture. The Central Silk Board operates separate seed production networks for other types of silk: the North-East Sericultural Seed Organisation handles mulberry seeds, while the Bombay Tasar Sericultural Seed Organisation and Muga Eri Sericultural Seed Organisation support production of Tasar, Muga and Eri seeds from wild silkworms.
Why this matters for Assam and the North-East
The North-Eastern Region is India’s dominant silk producer, particularly in specialty silks. Assam alone accounts for nearly four-fifths of the country’s Muga silk and three-quarters of its Eri silk output. These silks command higher prices in global markets because they are produced by wild or semi-wild silkworm species and require specialized farming knowledge.
Quality silkworm seeds are foundational to sericulture. Farmers who use disease-free seeds achieve higher cocoon yields and better quality silk, which translates to higher income. A modern seed production centre reduces dependency on seeds from distant locations and ensures the genetics suit local climate and farming conditions. The facility’s cold storage also extends the shelf life of seeds, allowing farmers to access them beyond the natural laying season.
Employment and economic impact
Sericulture across India is estimated to provide livelihoods for around 29.50 lakh persons during 2025-26, the majority in the North-Eastern Region. The improved seed supply from this centre is expected to increase cocoon production and farm incomes. The facility also creates direct employment in seed production, storage management and quality testing, and indirect opportunities for suppliers, traders and service providers in surrounding areas.
Support programmes for farmers
The Ministry of Textiles runs the Samarth Scheme, a skills development programme for workers in the textile and sericulture sectors. During the inauguration event, certificates were distributed to trainees who completed training under this scheme. Progressive farmers were also recognized and disease-free silkworm seeds were directly distributed to sericulture farmers attending the event.
What happens next
The Ministry plans to strengthen collaboration among the Central Silk Board, state governments, research institutions, farmers and entrepreneurs to develop the broader sericulture ecosystem. Initiatives such as Mission Senehjori are being explored to position Muga silk as a high-value global product. A stakeholder consultation meet was held alongside the inauguration to discuss challenges and opportunities in the sericulture sector.