In a bid to compete with the Kashmiri pashmina in the domestic and international markets, the UT administration of Ladakh has decided to rope in the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) and National Institute of Design (NID) to bring in quality improvement of the fabric.

Ladakh’s administration has decided that institutes of national importance such as NID and NIFT will collaborate with the UT in supporting design inputs, training, product diversification, marketing and branding for overall quality improvement in the sector. Ladakh is the home to high quality pashmina goats.

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Secretary, Industries and Commerce, Saugat Biswas, chaired a meeting for development and promotion of pashmina in Ladakh, and to develop pashmina as a leading brand from Ladakh.

Members of the UT level apex committee for pashmina development agreed to aggressively promote pashmina that fetches a very high price. The meeting was attended by director, industries and commerce Moses Kunzang; director, animal & sheep husbandry Mohammad Raza; state director of khadi and village industries commission (KVIC), J&K and Ladakh; additional registrar, cooperatives; associate director, research and extension,High Mountain Arid agriculture Research Institute Leh (SKAUST-K), All Changthang Pashmina Ladakh, and expert members from NID, Ahmadabad.

There were discussions and presentations on the production, supply chain of raw material, design, marketing and sale of pashmina in Ladakh. Key challenges in the various stages such as the production of raw material, processing, marketing etc were discussed comprehensively.

Biswas also directed to have a contingency plan for the future and to have a comprehensive plan for fodder. He directed the concerned officials to conduct an analysis and submit the report.

KVIC Director shared details on conducting research on the production of yarn, exploring sustainable solutions, upgradation of skill, modification of the existing loom and the need for small interventions.

National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, suggested workshops on spinning, weaving, dyeing and customising pashmina products.

The matter of easing business in the realm of pashmina and pashmina products were discussed extensively. Improvement in the quality of yarn production, creation of a yarn bank for small entrepreneurs, setting up of stateof- the-art roving unit, dehairing plant and incubation support were deliberated upon in the meeting.

The Director, Animal Husbandry, was tasked to make a comprehensive assessment of fodder requirements for sustaining the goats during drought situations. Fodder banks for the growers and other incentives will be worked out to support the nomadic producers of pashmina.

KVIC will coordinate with various schemes and handholding for quality improvement of yarn, he added.