Ladakh to emerge as global hub for finest Pashmina wool: LG

LEh, Ladakh has the potency to suit a worldwide hub for finest Pashmina woolen, police 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.The average fibre diameter ranges between 13 and 15 microns, while Pashmina from baby goats measures as fine as 12 microns, making it among the most luxurious natural fibres in the world.The farm, with over 50,000 willow and poplar trees and around 2,000 quintals of alfalfa fodder, also serves as a major green zone in Ladakh.Saxena emphasised its potential to be developed as a unique tourism destination, asking for introducing guided tours to educate visitors about authentic Ladakhi Pashmina and dispel misinformation in the market.He called for the creation of visitor-friendly amenities, including a canteen, to offer a complete experiential visit, besides directing that the farm be integrated into Ladakh's tourism circuit and that existing infrastructure be upgraded.He also visited the Changluk Breeding Farm and the Intensive Fodder Development Farm at Stakna, reviewing ongoing efforts to strengthen livestock and fodder resources in the region, the spokesperson said.This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.