At an event in Leh, Giriraj Singh, Union Minister for Textiles, presented Brigadier (Dr) BD Mishra, Lieutenant Governor (Retd) with the Certificate of Geographical Indication (GI) Registration for Ladakh’s renowned Pashmina wool. The GI tagging would prevent Kashmiri traders from falsely marketing Ladakh's prized Pashmina wool as their own, said Singh.

Emphasising the benefits of this GI recognition for the people of Ladakh, especially the Pashmina herders, Singh said, herders would greatly benefit from this GI recognition as though known as ‘Soft Gold,’ Ladakh’s Pashmina wool has historically been misused by others promoting it under a different identity.

Emphasising on the importance of supporting Pashmina and Merino sheep stall feeding, Singh urged the government to increase the production of Pashmina wool in Ladakh, ensuring higher revenue for goat herders. Helauded the efforts of the Union Territory Administration to reduce the mortality rate among Pashmina goat offspring.

Further, Singh proposed measures to further strengthen the Pashmina wool industry in Ladakh. These included establishing Pashmina breeding farms in Leh and Kargil to prevent inbreeding, promoting artificial insemination, and launching selective breeding projects. He also suggested holding competitions among farmers for best practices, offering incentives, testing the nutritional value of Pashmina goat milk, and improving fodder by making feed pellets from stocked supplies.

Hailing the GI registration of Ladakh’s Pashmina Wool as historic milestone, Mishra criticized the sale of inferior or fake Pashmina products as having previously undermined the authenticity of Ladakh’s top-quality Pashmina wool. He urged the Ministry to support the further development and promotion ofLadakh’s Pashmina industry. He also stressed on the need to encourage young people to participate in the traditional practice of Pashmina goat herding, preserving this age-old culture.