In a significant technological leap for India's sericulture sector, silk farmers in and around Bengaluru are poised to benefit from substantial savings. The Central Silk Board (CSB) has successfully deployed advanced scanners equipped with artificial intelligence-powered digital microscopes. This system is designed to detect diseases in silkworms at an early and highly accurate stage.
Boosting Capacity and Quality with AI
Following a three-month pilot project, this innovative technology has dramatically increased testing capacity. The CSB can now analyze nearly 900 cocoon samples daily, a massive jump from the previous capacity of just 200 samples per day. This surge in efficiency directly translates to reduced financial losses for farmers and a significant minimization of human error during the inspection process.
S Manthira Moorthy, the technical director at CSB, explained that the AI microscope has drastically cut down manpower requirements while simultaneously enhancing the quality of silk production. He noted that the adoption of this technology was partly driven by past complaints regarding silk quality. The AI-enabled unit, developed in collaboration with a Bengaluru-based startup at an approximate cost of Rs 40 lakh, is currently the only fully automated system of its kind operated by the CSB.
Combating Counterfeit Silk and Empowering Consumers
Officials are leveraging this technology in a broader fight to ensure silk authenticity and strengthen the entire value chain. They highlighted a rampant issue where consumers are misled, with polyester often being sold as genuine silk, citing recent incidents in places like Tirupati. The board employs a dual approach:
- Destructive Testing: Methods like dissolving or burning fibres.
- Non-Destructive Testing: Using scanning and digital microscopes to identify silk without damaging the material.
P Sivakumar, member-secretary of CSB, revealed plans for mobile-based consumer testing solutions. This would allow buyers to verify the authenticity of silk themselves. He emphasized the economic impact, stating that while a genuine silk sari costs at least Rs 15,000, fake versions are sold online for a mere Rs 2,000–3,000. The CSB is validating over 30,000 samples and aims to authorize more than 5,000 sellers nationwide to offer in-store testing.
Creating a Zero-Waste Value Chain
In a move towards sustainability and extra income for farmers, the CSB is exploring new avenues. Discussions are underway with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regarding the utilization of protein extracted from dead silkworm pupae. This byproduct, generated after silk extraction, holds potential for human consumption, poultry feed, and fishery use.
While some farmers currently use it informally, there are no standardized safety guidelines. The CSB is conducting research to establish proper criteria, aiming to enable farmers to legally extract and sell this protein. This initiative seeks to open a new revenue stream, meet domestic and international demand, and push the silk industry towards a zero-waste model.
These advancements were a key focus at the recent two-day 'Directors' conference of sericulture-practising states and Union territories,' which centered on the theme ‘Strengthening the silk value chain for inclusive growth.' The AI system's ability to store data and perform long-term analysis will also help in predicting and preventing future silkworm disease outbreaks, offering preemptive protection to farmers.
