Trade Facilitation Guide to Export Pashmina from Nepal launched

MAY 15: Aiming to facilitate small-scale businesses in exporting Nepal’s Himalayan Chyangra Pashmina products to targeted major international destinations, a comprehensive guide for Pashmina export was launched. The ‘Trade Facilitation Guide to Export Pashmina from Nepal’ was jointly unveiled by Myriam Ferran, Deputy Director-General of the Directorate-General for International Partnerships (INTPA) of the European Commission, Ambassador of the European Union to Nepal Veronique Lorenzo, Baburam Adhikari, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Supplies, and Dhan Prasad Lamichhane, President of the Nepal Pashmina Industries Association. This unveiling took place during a function organized at the Nepal Pashmina Fibre Processing Facility today in Lalitpur.

Joint Secretary Adhikari, DDG Ferran, and Ambassador Lorenzo also jointly inaugurated the Fiber Processing Facility. This facility was established with technical support from the EU-Nepal Trade and Investment Programme and processed fibre collected from Chyangra farmers, supplying it to Pashmina producers.

As part of the European Union’s broader support in strengthening the Pashmina value chain, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Supplies (MoICS) developed the guide with technical support from the EU-Nepal Trade and Investment Programme implemented by the International Trade Centre, as stated in a press release by the Embassy of the European Union in Kathmandu.

This guide is specifically tailored for major international markets such as Japan, the European Union, the USA, and the UK, with the aim of enhancing Nepal’s Pashmina export endeavours. It elaborates on step-by-step processes, including firm registration, licensing, directives, customs, shipment, and logistics procedures. Additionally, it offers insights into the import requirements specified by destination countries, shedding light on tariffs, quality standards, shipping costs, timeframes, and essential documents needed, along with other crucial trade information.

Amidst the deficit of knowledge about international markets and trade-related information among Nepal’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the newly unveiled guide is expected to serve as a crucial tool to assist entrepreneurs in navigating export-related formalities and procedures, as well as quality requirements, making them more competitive on the global stage.

Nepal’s Himalayan Chyangra Pashmina holds a distinguished position in the international market due to its unique quality and cultural significance. The ‘Nepal Trade Integration Strategy 2023’ has identified Chyangra Pashmina as a highly prioritized exportable product. Similarly, the ‘Pashmina Sector Export National Strategy 2022-2026’ aims to elevate Pashmina exports to the USD 75 million mark by 2026.

Speaking on the occasion, Joint Secretary Adhikari emphasized Nepal’s Himalayan Chyangra Pashmina’s distinguished position in the international market and the government’s commitment to promoting it as a high-priority exportable product. DDG Ferran reiterated the European Union’s dedication to bolstering Nepal’s prosperity through enhanced trade and investment avenues.

Through a video message, Ashis Shah, Director of the Division of Country Programme of the International Trade Centre, expressed pleasure in contributing to the development of the guide, recognizing its significance as an essential resource, particularly beneficial for SMEs. Dhan Prasad Lamichhane, President of the Nepal Pashmina Industries Association, expressed gratitude for producing this guide tailored for Pashmina entrepreneurs, expressing confidence in its pivotal role in advancing Nepal’s Chyangra Pashmina export in crucial international markets.