SRINAGAR: The Ladakh administration has unveiled an ambitious plan to double the Union Territory’s Pashmina goat population from two lakh to four lakh over the next three years while introducing new financial incentives and an Rs 8 crore revolving fund to boost production of the world-famous fibre and improve the livelihoods of Changpa pastoralists.
The decisions were approved by Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena during the first meeting of the newly constituted Ladakh Pashmina Development Board (LPDB), officials said on Sunday.
Besides expanding the goat population, the administration has set a target of increasing raw Pashmina yield from the current average of 200 grams per goat to at least 350 grams through scientific breeding techniques and improved combing tools.
To encourage production, the Lieutenant Governor approved a first-of-its-kind Livestock Development Incentive Programme under which eligible Changpa herders will receive a 25 per cent top-up incentive over and above the government procurement price. The incentive will be transferred directly into Aadhaar-linked bank accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.
Officials said 60 per cent of the incentive will be earmarked for livestock improvement and scientific breeding, 20 per cent for infrastructure such as improved combing equipment and production facilities, while the remaining 20 per cent may be used for household needs.
The Lieutenant Governor also sanctioned an Rs 8 crore revolving fund for the All Changthang Pashmina Growers Cooperative Marketing Society Ltd. (ACPGCMS) to ensure timely procurement of raw Pashmina and faster payments to nomadic herders.
Under the new mechanism, herders will receive 50 per cent of the procurement price immediately, with the balance to be paid within two months. Officials said pastoralists previously had to wait between eight and ten months for payments, often forcing them to borrow money to sustain their livestock.
Officials said the twin initiatives are aimed at promoting sustainable livestock development, strengthening the cooperative procurement system, improving the quality and quantity of Ladakh Pashmina, eliminating distress sales and making traditional Pashmina goat rearing more profitable for younger generations.
Ladakh is globally recognised for producing the world’s finest Pashmina from the indigenous Changthangi goat reared by the Changpa nomadic community. However, rising livestock-rearing costs, harsh climatic conditions and fluctuating market prices have adversely affected production and pastoral incomes in recent years.
Addressing the meeting, Saxena said the Changpa community is the custodian of one of Ladakh’s greatest natural and cultural treasures and that the administration remains committed to securing their livelihoods while preserving this unique pastoral heritage.
The move also comes at a time when Kashmir’s traditional Pashmina weaving sector has been facing an acute shortage of raw Pashmina. Industry stakeholders have repeatedly said that much of Ladakh’s raw fibre is now being sold outside Jammu and Kashmir, leaving many Kashmir-based spinners and weavers struggling to secure adequate supplies. The reduced availability of raw Pashmina has emerged as a major concern for the Valley’s centuries-old handloom industry, which depends almost entirely on fibre produced in the Changthang region.
