A comprehensive guide for exporting Pashmina has been launched to help small-scale businesses in Nepal export Himalayan Chyangra Pashmina to major international markets.
The ‘Trade Facilitation Guide to Export Pashmina from Nepal’ was unveiled by Myriam Ferran, deputy director General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships, and Veronique Lorenzo, the European Union Ambassador to Nepal. Also present were Baburam Adhikari, joint secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, and Dhan Prasad Lamichhane, president of the Nepal Pashmina Industries Association, at a function held at the Nepal Pashmina Fiber Processing Facility in Lalitpur.
Adhikari, Ferran, and Lorenzo also inaugurated the Fiber Processing Facility, established with technical support from the EU-Nepal Trade and Investment Program. This plant processes fiber from Chyangra farmers and supplies it to Pashmina producers.
The guide, developed with EU technical support and implemented by the International Trade Center, aims to strengthen the Pashmina value chain. It targets key markets such as Japan, the European Union, the US, and the UK, detailing processes for firm registration, licensing, customs, shipment, and logistics. It also covers import requirements, tariffs, quality standards, shipping costs, timeframes, and essential documents.
This guide addresses the knowledge gap in international markets and trade-related information among Nepal’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It is expected to help entrepreneurs navigate export formalities and quality requirements, enhancing their global competitiveness.
Nepal’s Himalayan Chyangra Pashmina is renowned internationally for its unique quality and cultural significance. The ‘Nepal Trade Integration Strategy 2023’ and the ‘Pashmina Sector Export National Strategy 2022-2026’ have identified it as a priority export, aiming to increase exports to $75m by 2026.
Adhikari highlighted the significance of Pashmina as a high-priority exportable product, stating that the guide offers comprehensive information for Nepali Pashmina exports.
“The guide launched today is poised to become a useful source of information about the process for Nepali Pashmina exports, offering comprehensive information about our destination markets,” he said.
Ferran reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to enhancing Nepal’s prosperity through trade and investment, describing the guide as a tool to support the Pashmina value chain.
“As a longstanding partner in Nepal’s development journey, the European Union reaffirms its unwavering dedication to bolstering Nepal’s prosperity through enhanced trade and investment avenues. This comprehensive guide serves as an instrument to support the Pashmina value chain to harness the immense potential of Nepal’s Chyangra Pashmian in the international market,” she said.
Ashis Shah, director of the Division of Country Program at the International Trade Center, emphasized the guide's importance for SMEs in understanding the export process and meeting quality standards.
“We are pleased to contribute to the development of this guide, recognizing its significance as an essential resource, particularly beneficial for Small and Medium Enterprises, in deepening their understanding of the export process and the quality standards required by destination countries”.
Lamichhane expressed gratitude to the EU-Nepal Trade and Investment Program and the Nepal government for producing this essential resource for Pashmina entrepreneurs. He said the initiative will boost exports in key international markets.
