Leh, 26 April (H.S.): Ladakh has the potential to become a global hub for finest Pashmina wool, Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena said on Sunday and stressed the need to maximise returns for farmers and artisans through value addition and better market access.

To strengthen and promote Ladakhi Pashmina and position it as a global brand, Saxena visited the Pashmina Goat Farm at Upshi.

The visit underlined the administration’s commitment to establishing Ladakh as a premier hub for world-class Pashmina wool, a spokesperson of the Lok Bhavan said.

Noting that Ladakh has immense potential to emerge as a global Pashmina hub, Saxena assured full support from the administration to promote Ladakhi Pashmina as a globally recognised brand.

Underlining the need to ensure better value realisation for local farmers and artisans, he stressed the importance of minimising wastage of raw wool and utilising by-products for value-added items.

He said improvement in processing, branding, new design interventions and market linkages for the Ladakhi Pashmina products would not only strengthen the local artisans and enterprises but also secure higher income for farmers and self-help groups.

During the visit, Saxena was told that Ladakh is home to some of the finest Pashmina wool in the world, renowned for its exceptional softness and superior quality.

He was apprised that there are three Pashmina farms across Ladakh, with the Upshi farm alone producing around 150 kg of raw Pashmina annually, the spokesperson said.

The wool is extracted through a traditional combing technique and subsequently processed at the dehairing plant in Leh, where approximately 35 per cent fine dehaired Pashmina is obtained from one kg of raw wool, the spokesperson said.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar