Leh, Oct 23: Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Friday inaugurated the two-day Ladakh Pashmina Conclave: Reverse Buyer-Seller Meet in Leh, aimed at strengthening market linkages and taking the Union Territory’s prized “Golden Fibre” to international markets.
The conclave brought together stakeholders from across the Pashmina value chain, including nomadic herders, artisans, entrepreneurs, industry representatives, designers and buyers. Delegates from Mongolia, Japan and Thailand also participated, opening avenues for international cooperation, knowledge exchange and potential commercial partnerships.
On the occasion, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Union Ministry of Textiles and the Department of Industries and Commerce, UT Ladakh, to strengthen cooperation in the promotion and development of the Pashmina sector.
The Lieutenant Governor also released a postal stamp dedicated to GI-tagged Ladakh Pashmina, highlighting the fibre’s distinctive identity, traditional craftsmanship and cultural heritage.
A key feature of the conclave, the Reverse Buyer-Seller Meet, is intended to bring producers and enterprises into direct contact with buyers, textile manufacturers, designers and other market participants. The platform will help local producers understand market requirements, showcase their products and explore commercial opportunities.
Direct engagement with buyers could also help producers reduce dependence on intermediaries and better understand requirements relating to fibre quality, grading, processing and traceability in domestic and international markets.
Addressing the gathering, Saxena said recognition of Ladakh Pashmina must translate into tangible economic benefits for the people involved in its production.
“Our vision is clear: Pashmina must be produced in Ladakh, processed in Ladakh, branded as Ladakh Pashmina, and taken to the world from Ladakh,” he said.
He stressed the need to strengthen local value addition and ensure that the benefits of the sector reach Changpa herders, artisans, women-led self-help groups and young entrepreneurs.
The Lieutenant Governor said the Administration was working to improve scientific breeding, shearing and combing practices, fibre collection and sustainable pasture management. He also highlighted a target to increase the Pashmina goat population from approximately two lakh to four lakh within three years.
The proposed expansion is intended to strengthen the raw-material base of the sector, although its long-term sustainability will depend on pasture availability, animal health and effective management of the fragile high-altitude ecosystem.
The participation of delegates from Mongolia, Japan and Thailand added an international dimension to the conclave, providing opportunities to explore cooperation in pastoral livelihoods, fibre quality, processing, craftsmanship, product design and access to overseas markets.
Saxena urged delegates from Mongolia to facilitate exchanges of herders, technicians and researchers between Changthang and the Mongolian steppe to share knowledge and strengthen traditional pastoral practices.
He also invited Japanese partners to explore collaboration in precision spinning, finishing, quality certification, traceability, design partnerships with Japanese brands and direct links with buyers in Japan.
Emphasising the scope for international cooperation, he said, “We are not competitors. We are partners in the story of fine natural fibre.”
The conclave seeks to strengthen the commercial potential of Ladakh Pashmina by connecting traditional producers with larger markets and encouraging greater value addition within the region.
For Ladakh’s Pashmina sector, the challenge will be to convert growing recognition and international engagement into sustained buyer relationships, better returns for herders and artisans, and a stronger local processing and branding ecosystem.
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