India:Silk weavers observe fast
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admin
PublishDate:
2006-02-14 13:25:00
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297
SALEM: A large number of silk weavers in the Salem Kondalampatti area observed a fast on Saturday seeking government intervention against the stoppage of production by silk cloth manufacturers.
The silk manufacturers had stopped production since February 4 because of increase in cost of jari and increase in price of silk yarn due to low yield of cocoon as a result of an abnormal monsoon. (But the Department of Sericulture had denied this).
Adding to this is the increase in import and anti-dumping duty on Chinese silk. The overall increase in input cost has increased the price of a good quality silk saree by 50 per cent, which the market is unable to absorb.
The cloth manufacturers have conveniently passed on their burden upon the weavers. Stoppage of production has affected weavers in terms of their wages.