August 11: Nepal exported pashmina items worth Rs 3 billion in the last fiscal year (FY 2022/23).

According to the Department of Customs, Nepal exported pashmina worth Rs 3.24 billion last year. This amount is 15 percent more than the previous year. In the previous year, Nepal earned foreign currencies worth Rs 2.82 billion from pashmina exports.

The income from pashmina exports has been increasing since the last four years.

If we look at the data of the Department of Customs, the volume of export of pashmina items has been increasing since FY 2019/20. Pashmina goods worth more than Rs 2.26 billion were exported in that year. In FY 2020/21, the export of pashmina increased to more than Rs 2.7 billion.

Businessmen are excited due to the increase in export of pashmina.

They claim that its export amount will increase further in the coming days.

Pashmina was ranked 12th in terms of export earnings last year. Businessmen say it production and export of pashmina is important to reduce the country's trade deficit.

President of Nepal Pashmina Industry Association Vijay Kumar Dugad says that there has been a lot of improvement in the pashmina industry after the Covid-19.

According to him, the trade of Nepali pashmina has improved not only in foreign countries but also within Nepal.

"After the Covid-19, the business of pashmina has increased in Thamel, Patan, Pokhara and other areas with the increase in the number of tourists visiting Nepal," he said.

He says that Nepal's exports have also improved. In previous years, only pashmina shawls and scarves were exported from Nepal. However, now the pattern of export has changed.

There is a good demand for shawls, scarves, knitted sweaters, socks, blouses, in the international market, he said.

According to Dugad, Nepali pashmina is mostly exported to countries like America, Japan and European countries.

The government has introduced the 'Pashmina Export National Strategy' with the goal of increasing the export of pashmina to US dollars 75 million (more than Rs 9.96 billion based on the latest US dollar exchange rate) by 2026. As part of this strategy, the government has operated wool collection centers in Mustang, Manang, Dolpa and other districts to increase pashmina yarn production in Nepal.

Dugad informed that the farmers there have also been trained in extracting wool from chyangra, a kind of Himalayan sheep found in high altitude areas. According to him, 800 wool samples from 4 villages of Mustang have been sent to Mongolia to test the advanced breeds of sheep in Nepal. Nepal is now importing raw materials of pashmina from Mongolia, China and other countries.

“The government has already started a lot of work under the Pashmina Export National Strategy. This is the reason why the export has improved. It seems that exports will increase in the coming days as well," said Dugad.

According to him, there are about 15,000 industries related to pashmina across the country. He claims that nearly 50,000 people are directly employed in these industries.