Preventing Adulteration of Muga Silk

The Central Muga Eri Research and Training Institute (CMER&TI) listing the “Development of smart portable analyser for Muga silk purity and dye origin assessment in dyed fabrics” among its new projects to be initiated during the current financial year is good news. Empowering artisans, traders, and consumers to authenticate Muga silk is critical to preserve Assam’s rich cultural heritage associated with it. The successful development of a portable analyser will have a deterrent effect on adulteration of Muga silk, provided the ecosystem to enforce the punitive measures follows immediately after detection. The research institute located at Lahdoigarh in Jorhat hopes that the creation of a tool to accurately differentiate between natural and synthetic dyes will foster the use of eco-friendly dyes in the textile industry. Muga silk is the first item from Assam to be registered under Geographical Indication (GI) in 2007. Ironically, even after 18 years of getting the GI tag, its adulteration with golden-coloured cheaper Chinese Tasar silk is rampant, which has eroded consumers’ confidence. Drastic decline in number of Muga looms in Assam’s silk hub Sualkuchi is a reflection of a grave crisis gripping the Muga silk heritage, with adulteration being a key factor in addition to the shortfall in Muga silk production pushing up the price of traditional Muga silk products. Affordability of Muga silk is crucial for preserving it as a unique marker of Assamese identity. The customised Muga fashion wear is the premium segment of the market but does not reflect the ground realities. The majority of households now cannot afford to buy even the traditional set of Muga Mekhela Sador, including the plain and undyed set, when customarily Assamese Bihu dancers, both male and female, must wear pure Muga attire to perform the dance form. The widening gap between the demand and production has led to the skyrocketing of authentic Muga silk prices. Reversal of the prevailing situation demands increasing the production of raw Muga silk. The Central Silk Board has set the target of producing 250 MT of Muga silk in the state during the current financial year, for which there is a requirement of 12,500 hectares of host plant. CMER&TI data shows that the state had 21,588 hectares of host plant available in 2023-24 when it produced 203 MT of raw Muga silk. Clearly, available host plantation is underutilised, as pointed out by the research institute in its Annual Work Plan, and efforts to increase Muga production must be directed towards optimal utilisation of the host plant of the Muga silkworm. Traditional Muga growers are facing twin challenges of rising temperature due to climate change impact and the harmful impact of insecticides used in tea plantations in the vicinity of Muga silkworm rearing areas. The crop loss due to the twin factors has precipitated the livelihood crisis and has led to the withdrawal of a large number of traditional Muga silkworm rearers from the age-old tradition. This explains why production is not proportionate to the demand and high prices of the Muga silk products in the market of end consumers. Restoration of the supply chain requires a multipronged approach to address the twin problems so that continuity of sericulture practice is sustainable for traditional Muga silkworm rearers. Promoting organic cultivation of tea in Muga clusters and rescheduling the rearing season to protect the silkworm from rising temperatures are essential. Achieving this will require huge awareness building about climate change impact and the coping strategies, as well as about the importance of organic tea cultivation, and such awareness equally reaching out to tea growers beside Muga cultivators is of paramount importance. Only a coordinated effort by the local administration involving different line departments, officials of the Central Silk Board, scientists of CMER&TI, stakeholders of the Muga silk industry, Muga cultivators and tea growers can make it happen. Unless the production of quality Muga raw silk is increased, the demand for Chinese Tasar for adulteration will never decrease, and preventing sale of adulterated Muga silk will remain a mere slogan. Apart from distinguishing pure Muga silk from adulterated, the CMER&TI project also aims at creating a tool to accurately differentiate between natural and synthetic dyes to foster the use of eco-friendly dyes in the textile industry. The research institute claims this will enable manufacturers, retailers, and consumers to make informed, sustainable choices, supporting the global shift towards sustainable fashion. The development of the proposed smart portable analyser for Muga silk purity and dye origin assessment will take at least three years. The administration intensifying their current efforts to curb adulteration of Muga silk will be crucial in the intervening period. The enforcement authorities involving consumers in such regulatory measures is important to build the required awareness among them so that they can seek help from the authorities concerned when they suspect that they are being duped by unscrupulous traders to sell adulterated Muga silk as authentic.