ITC is a joint agency of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United Nations. [break]
The three-member delegation, which includes senior expert on textile and clothing Matthias Knappe, trade support institutions expert John Gillies and country manager for Nepal Govind Venuprasad, arrived in Nepal on Tuesday for a four-day mission.
The mission has so far met with officials of the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies (MoCS) and pashmina entrepreneurs.
The MoCS had proposed Pashmina Enhancement and Trade Support (PETS) project at an estimated cost of US $1.42 million (around Rs 128.16 million), which includes $1.22 million from Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) of ITC and $200,000 from the Nepal government.
“ITC mission is very positive to support us in promoting pashmina products, which is one of the leading exportable products from Nepal,” Toya Narayan Gyawali, joint secretary at MoCS, told Republica on Wednesday.
The project is expected to strengthen the competitiveness of Chyangra Pashmina by establishing backward linkage with value-chain among mountain goat farmers, wool processors and exporters and forward linkage that includes promotional activities such as publicity of the trade mark, international marketing and advertisement in global media.
According to Gyawali, nine actions, including development of mountain goats farming, setting up pashmina processing plants on cooperative basis, implementation of sericulture projects to boost production of silk, setting up quality testing lab, conducting feasibility study to set up pashmina spinning plants and promotion of Chyangra Pashmina trademark in international market, among others.
During discussions with the mission, pashmina entrepreneurs demanded support to expand mountain goats farming, international promotion and participation in international trade fair.
President of Nepal Pashmina Industries´ Association (NPIA) Pushpa Man Shrestha said entrepreneurs asked the mission for its support to enhance wool production within the country through expansion of mountain goat farming and promotion of Chyangra Pashmina Trade mark in international market.
“The mission is highly impressed with our presentation and suggestions at the meeting. We can increase exports of pashmina products by 30 percent annually to around Rs 10 billion within a few years,” Shrestha said. The mission will also meet with Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) representatives on Thursday.
Export of pashmina products through formal channel was recorded at Rs 1.61 billion during the first 10 months of the fiscal year 2011/12.
The EIF under the WTO recently agreed to provide Rs 100 million to Nepal to boost production and export of ginger, another prioritized products under NTIS.
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