Trade

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PANEL DISCUSSION 3 GIs for Market
Differentiation, Reputation Quality An Insight
MUGA SILK OF ASSAM
SEPTEMBER 18, 2008 NEW DELHI
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Muga Silk of Assam

• MUGA Silk of Assam obtained GI protection on July
  20, 2006 (registered) under Classes 23, 24, 25,
  27 and 31
• Names and classification of goods under Section
  11(3) of GI Act
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• Class 23 Yarns and threads, for textile use
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• Class 24 Textiles and textile goods, not
  included in other classes bed and table covers
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Muga Silk of Assam
Class 25 Clothing , footwear, headgear   Class
27 Carpets, rugs, mats and matting, linoleum
and other materials for covering existing floors
wall hangings (non textile)   Class 31
Agricultural, horticultural and forestry products
and grains not included in other classes live
animals fresh fruits and vegetables seeds,
natural plants and flowers foodstuffs for
animals, malt
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Muga Silk of Assam

• MUGA Silk (non-mulberry) is a product of the
  Silkworm Antherea Assamensis endemic to Assam
  peculiar to agronomic and environmental
  conditions
• The pupa of these silkworms feed on som
  (Machilus bombycina) and sualu (Litsaea
  polyantha) leaves that provides Muga the unique
  golden yellow color
• The natural golden color silk produced is known
  for its glossy fine texture and durability
• MUGA possesses characteristics, reputation and
  quality that are essentially attributable to its
  geographical origin in Assam

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Muga Silk of Assam

• MUGA part of Axomiya communitys traditional
  knowledge and know-how and linked to tradition
  and antiquity and is part of the communitys
  cultural expression.
• The localness of the product is material to the
  communities sustainable development
• GI protection is capable of serving as a tool
  for protecting traditional knowledge and cultural
  expressions for the advancement of indigenous
  women and rural people in general

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Muga Silk of Assam

• GI Protection for Muga Silk of Assam
• Proof of Origin (Historical Records)
• Geographical Area
• Uniqueness
• Method of Production
• Inspection Body

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Yarn
Male moth
Female moth

Eggs

Cocoon
Pupa
Fabric
Life cycle of Muga Silk Worm

1st instar
5th instar

4th instar
2nd instar
3rd instar
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Som plant
Soalu plant
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GEOGRAPHICAL AREA
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Quality Characteristics of Muga

• Unique method of cultivation and production
• Color stability (everlasting)
• Golden colour increases with each wash
• Tensile Strength (4.53g/dn) strongest amongst
  all silks
• UV Absorption capacity (gt80)
• Durability (over 50 years)
• Acid resistant (resistant to concentrated
  Sulfuric acid)
• Comfortable to wear both in summer and winter
• expensive

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Quality Characteristics of Muga

• Thermo stability (355 degrees C to 365 degrees C
  by DSC)

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IDENTIFICATION OF MUGA

• 1. BURN TEST
• The burn test is the best way to confirm the
  purity of silk. Burning of silk will leave a
  powdery ash and will extinguish itself when the
  flame is removed just like wool. The easy way to
  tell silk and wool apart in the burn test is the
  smell. Where wool have the smell of burning
  hair, the silk have a much more disagreeable
  smell.

2. Chemical Test The fibre of Muga, Tussar and
Bombyx mori have been treated with Conc.
Sulphuric acid. The fibre of Bombyx mori.
dissolved immediately and
the colour become yellowish. The fibre of muga
silk has been partially dissolved without
changing the colour whereas the colour of Tussar
fiber has changed to purple and dissolved
partially
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INSPECTION BODY

• The proposed GI inspection system will be
  specific and deal with
• Traceability
• Geographical origin and geographical boundaries
• Specific soils
• Specific breeds or plant varieties
• Specific production criteria or methods
• Specific know how
• Particular colour and appearance
• Specific labeling

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INSPECTION BODY

• AUTHORITY
• Department of Sericulture, Govt. of Assam
• Representative Committee to be formed
• weavers association
• Relevant District Industry Officer
• Representative of Sericulture Department
• PIC /ASTEC
• Laboratory and Certification - Institute of
  Advanced Studies in Science and Technology, Assam

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INSPECTION BODY

• Develop and adopt specified requirements or
  standards
• conformity assessments product sampling
• Post-market surveillance
• Public outreach, information and education
• Enforcement of GI

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ECONOMICS OF MUGA

• Total family of cultivators 27,878
• Average cultivating area
• of a family 0.3 Acre
• Total area 7172 acres
• Average Muga Yarn
• Production per year 98 MT
• For 2005 - 2006 104 MT
• Value of Product _at_
• Rs. 3,500/Kg INR 34.30 Cr

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ECONOMICS OF MUGA Annual Export of Muga Fabrics

• Export started in 1997-98
• Export value in the
• year of 2005-06 INR 235.62 Lacs
• Export value
• in the year 2006-07 INR 300.00 Lacs
• Export value
• in 2007 - 2008 INR 221.60.
  Lacs (28104 sq.
  metres)
• Country of Export JAPAN, USA, EU
• Products Home
  Furnishing
• Source ARTFED Guwahati

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OUTSTANDING ISSUES

• Indications which identify a good as
  originating in a territory or a region, where a
  given quality, reputation or other characteristic
  of the good is essentially attributable to its
  geographical origin
• Why Muga Silk of Assam? 94 of Muga is from
  Assam but 6 from West Bengal and Meghalaya.
  Central Silk Board encouraged Muga cultivation
  all over the country!
• No system of meaningful and effective quality
  control and certification Capacity Building
• Lack RD and technology up gradation without
  compromising traditional methods
• Ineffective Marketing and vision

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WAY AHEAD

• CHAMPAGNE Comité Interprofessionnel du vin de
  Champagne was founded by an Act of 12 April 1941
  for safeguarding the harmonic development of
  the trade
• A restricted and non extendable region
• A small vineyard 33 000 ha
• A parceled vineyard gt 280 000 parcels
• Small vineyards (average lt 2 ha)
• Strict and qualitative production requirements
  (unique traditional production conditions)
• A restricted yield (determined each year)
• A constraining production process (pressing,
  process, ageing)
• A temporary and precarious Right to use the
  designation

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WAY AHEAD

• CHAMPAGNE
• The collective valuation of a unique name
• A single designation
• Numerous trademarks
• A worldwide success that benefits the whole
  industry and region
• A collective protection
• Co-handled by the administration (French and
  European)
• Collective and mutualized protection system
• A system that protects both producers and
  consumers
• Collective investments
• RD
• Promotion and education

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WAY AHEAD

• SCOTCH WHISHKY
• Scotch Whisky Act 1988 and the Scotch Whisky
  Order 1990
• describes how Scotch Whisky must be manufactured,
  ingredients to be used, and that Scotch Whisky
  must be distilled and matured in Scotland, the
  minimum period for that maturation being three
  years
• the legislation prohibits the manufacture of
  whisky in Scotland except Scotch Whisky
• sets a minimum alcoholic strength of 40 (the
  same as under the current EC Regulation (EEC) No.
  1576/89 for whisky)
• Civil, criminal and border measures remedies to
  stop breaches of the law

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WAY AHEAD

• Obtaining the GI is an opportunity
• GI protection could trigger higher Market reward
  standardization of quality, embedded messages
  about quality consumers in niche markets may be
  willing to pay a Premium
• Accumulated Goodwill has to be aided by niche
  marketing, brand development and extracting value
• Muga is a cottage industry in Assam - generating
  additional employment, increasing income and
  retaining population in these areas
• Traditional Knowledge And Know-how
• Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC)
  its chain of retail handicraft stores called
  AARONG - access to resources, support their
  entrepreneurship and empower them

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WAY AHEAD
1) control the quality of Muga through a testing
and certification system 2) promote and protect
the name Muga 3) promote R D 4) promote and
organize the marketing of the products 5)
promote a sustainable development
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THANK YOU
Ms. Krishna Sarma Managing Partner CORPORATE LAW
GROUP 1106-1107, Kailash Building, 26, Kasturba
Gandhi Marg, New Delhi-110001 Tel
91-11-43621000 (100 Lines) Tel
91-11-23357731 (Direct ) Fax
91-11-23357721 Email krishnasarma_at_clgindia.com w
ww.clgindia.com