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Nepal can locally meet most inputs of Pashmina fibre

28 May '11
3 min read

An on-going survey has revealed that the domestic market in Nepal has the potential to supply around 40 percent of the total 200 tons of raw material required for producing Chyangra Pashmina, each year.

While Nepal each year imports around 200 tons of Chyangra wool from China at a high price of Rs. 10,000 – Rs. 16,000 per kg., Tibetan dealers are able to source Chyangra wool from Nepal for a price as low as Rs. 1,500 per kg., according to the initial findings of the survey.

The survey is being conducted by a delegation of Government representatives jointly with Nepal Pashmina Industries Association and other local organizations. The aim is to assess the availability of Chyangra wool for production of Pashmina items in different districts of the country, like Dolpa, Darchila and Humla.

The survey has revealed that Nepal's Pashmina industry could procure around 30-40 percent of its overall wool requirement from domestic market. These industries, however, import the commodity from China, as they are not aware regarding the domestic availability of the fibre.

Due to ignorance about Chyangra wool and its use, farmers in concerned regions are selling it to Tibetans at very low cost.

Backward linkage is the main base for sustenance of any industry, and no local industry can sustain in its absence. Hence, if the country can build a backward chain through awareness generation amongst local farmers of Humla, Darchula and Dolpa regions, the Pashmina industry could become more sustainable.

The survey is likely to be completed in a year as it would be undertaken in around 14-15 districts of the country. Simultaneously, an awareness campaign would also be launched in those regions to facilitate local traders to directly buy Chyangra wool.

This would help the local traders to minimise their production cost and would ensure availability of genuine raw material, thereby helping to boost competitiveness of the final products.

The Nepal Pashmina Industries Association has sought financial assistance from the Government to help it complete the survey. Besides, the association has also requested the Government to provide them subsidy for purchase of an Italian processing plant.

Pashmina is recognized as the world's smoothest, light weight, exotically delicate and finest natural insulating fibre. It is obtained from the inner coats of the hardy little mountain goats found at heights of about 3,000 metres in the Himalayas and generally known as Chyangra in the region. Only the inner coat yarn measuring fewer than 16.5 microns is appropriate for use as Pashmina.

Nepali Pashmina has got its collective trademark and logo registered under the brand name of Chyangra Pashmina. It exports to various countries like Canada, US, UK, Germany, France, China, Italy, Japan, Switzerland and Denmark under the same brand name to differentiate its original products from the fake Pashmina that floods these markets.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India

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