The silk industry of Cambodia is in rapid decline due to limited domestic supply of silk yarn and high cost of imported raw materials.
According to the latest data released by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)-Cambodia, the Southeast Asian nation imports 395 tonnes of raw silk yarn from countries such as China and Vietnam, and only 5 percent of raw materials are produced in the country.
“Cambodian silk sector is in rapid decline mainly due to the high import cost of raw materials from countries such as Vietnam and China as well as limited domestic supply of silk yarn,” said Ms. Botumroath Lebun, the spokesperson of FAO-Cambodia, in an interview with fibre2fashion.
A research report on Cambodian silk industry released by the FAO states, “Silkworm diseases, low quality silkworm varieties and rudimentary production techniques kept cocoon production low. Silk producers are unable to meet international standards because of traditional manual reeling techniques.”
When asked about the revival of the Cambodian silk industry, the FAO spokesperson says, “The Cambodian Ministry of Commerce with the help of international organizations, including United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and FAO is working to boost the Cambodian silk sector.”
“The FAO’s emphasis on developing sustainable silkworm rearing techniques and producing high-yield cocoons as well as high-quality yarn,” she informs.
With the revival of the Cambodian silk industry, the sector aims to create an additional of 25,000 jobs and generate US$ 10 million in revenue.
