Raw silk — mulberry

What it is

Silk reeled from cocoons of silkworms fed on mulberry leaves. It is the main silk for sarees from Kanchipuram, Mysuru, Varanasi and Dharmavaram.

Bivoltine (higher grade, for warp)Multivoltine / cross-breed (filature and charkha silk)Graded by denier and reeling method: charkha, cottage basin, multi-end and automatic reeling

Where India produces it

1. Karnataka

   11,823 MT of mulberry raw silk in 2022-23, the largest of any state.

2. Andhra Pradesh

   9,311 MT of mulberry raw silk in 2022-23.

3. Tamil Nadu

   2,589 MT of mulberry raw silk in 2022-23.

4. West BengalMurshidabadMalda

   1,947 MT of mulberry raw silk in 2022-23.

Where imports come from

Moderate. India produced 42,033 MT of raw silk (all types) and imported 2,627 MT in 2025-26.

• Vietnam — US$ 109.46 million of imports under HS 5002 in 2025-26.
• China — US$ 35.82 million of imports under HS 5002 in 2025-26.
• Uzbekistan — US$ 1.25 million of imports under HS 5002 in 2025-26.

Rules before you buy or sell

• Silk Mark (Silk Mark Organisation of India, under the Central Silk Board) certifies pure silk products for buyers.
• Silkworm seed must come from units registered under the Central Silk Board Act seed provisions.

Storage and handling

Store skeins wrapped, in a cool, dry and dark place with insect repellent; silk yellows in light and is attacked by moths.

Businesses that use it

Banarasi Silk Saree Weaving →Silk Carpet Weaving →Zari and Silk Embroidery →