Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today inaugurated the silk market building in Jalna district. Speaking at the launch, Mr. Fadnavis noted that Jalna has come to be known as the city of three S’s – steel, seeds and silk.

Urging cultivators to diversify, he said that farmers cannot depend only on soybean and cotton, as returns from these crops are not always satisfactory. He said, farmers should explore alternative cash crops, and silk production can be an important option. Noting that silk production has the potential to generate a strong value chain, he said that India had once been among major silk exporters and expressed confidence that the country could regain its position in the global silk market. Mr. Fadnavis added that the region should work towards ending India’s dependence on imported silk.