The production level of Berhampuri silk saris has been on the decline for the past few years as the silk sari weavers are gradually leaving their traditional occupation because of less income. According to the weavers, cleaning the silk threads, dyeing and then weaving them, takes a week to make a single sari. Four members in a family work together for one whole week but earn only Rs. 2,000. A decade back, silk saris worth Rs. 1.5 crore were produced annually in the city, but now production in terms of value has come down to Rs. 25 to Rs. 30 lakh.
