Webinar on Kashmiri Pashmina: Expertspresent their views on issues,prospects

The session began with the introductory remarks of Director Handicrafts & HandloomKashmir, Mahmood Ahmad Shah, who gave the present status of Pashmina and its futurecourse.

 Highlighting that the machine intervention has lead to marginalisation ofspinning and weaving activity as a result of which quality of pashmina products has gonedown, he said that there is an urgent need of reviving the manual de-hairing, spinningand weaving to restore the glory of Pashmina. 

The department, he said, has recently launched GI promotion films, radio jingles andprint & electronic campaign to underscore the need of the promotion of genuinehandmade pashmina products.

 “It has become essential to bring home the point that GItesting and promotion of GI pashmina is the corner stone of marketing,” he added.It has became critical to the Pashmina trade that the access to quality supplies fromChangthang remains smooth and hassle free. 

Some recent articles have highlighted theissue confronting Changthang pashmina and Changpas. To understand the perspectivesin better manner Dr Mohammed Deen, Pashmina Expert & Founder LEHO Leh, wasinvited as a key note speaker to delve at length on the status of Pashmina goat rearing, itsproducts and supply to various parts of the country, abroad and particularly to Kashmir.

 Speaking in the webinar Dr. Deen highlighted the various aspects involved in rearing ofPashmina goat (Capra hircus) and problems being faced in view of global warming andissues facing in light of the border flare up. 

He also highlighted the aspects like decreasein productivity of alpine pastures and other biotic factors. He informed that varioussteps have been taken to ensure that the number of goat rearing increased and also theincrease in the yield of Pashmina per Goat is also achieved.

 He emphasized onutilization of technology to irrigate pastures mechanically and also accomplish thegenetic improvement of the goat stock .Ghulam u Din Reshi, Member KCCI elaborated upon the procurement of Pashmina fromLadakh and the process of hand spinning in Kashmir to be given fresh impetus. 

He alsounderscored the need to ensure the enhancement of the wages to the hand spinners to reattract the women folk to the spinning process.Abrar Khan Chairman, Genuine Kashmir Cottage Handicrafts Protection Forum alsoemphasised the enhancement of wages both weavers and spinners and to strengthen thepashmina raw material bank of SICOP to provide easy and quality Pashmina to spinners. 
The point of low wages was also highlighted by Tariq Ahmad, President KashmirPashmina Karigar Union and Bashir Ahmad, National Awardee Kanishawljamawar,Mubashir Shaw who is leading exporter of handicrafts appreciated the facts that thewages of the artisans need to be enhanced for survival of craft in large run which canhappen only by the promotion of GI tagged products.Babar Pashmina expert highlighted the role of PR platform to provide a greater visibilityto the genuine handicrafts products to fetch better prices for the artisans and weavers. 

Healso underscored the need to come out with a brand building exercise for Kashmirhandicrafts products.Yash Veer Bhatnagar, Scientist Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysore gave aconservationist angle of the Changthang ecosystem and need to conserve the biodiversityof this unique natural landscape. 

He suggested ways and means of increasing thenutritive value of grasses and ecofriendly intervention to ensure optimal yields of thepashmina goats. 

He also alluded to the idea of introduction of semi captivity measuresto harness the fleece of Chiru.Mushtaq A Shah, Handicraft expert & Ex- Assistant Director Export Promotion,suggested that if some type of genetic engineering methods are employed to extract thewool from other goats of same nature as that of pashmina goat ,an interesting facet to beexplored.

He cited the example of genetically engineered pashmina goat, “Noori” breedby SKAUST-K team.Saleem Beg, Convener INTACH, J&K Chapter who was coordinating the programmealso put forth his expertise and views on the topic and emphasised upon the participantsabout the importance of these types of webinars.Future discourses on the topic are being held in coming days to draw up acomprehensive road map for the promotion of the pashmina craft.