The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) delegation lead by its President Javid Ahmad Tenga called on Union Minister for Forest, Environment  & Climate Change (MOEFCC) Shri Bupinder Yadav at New Delhi. The Minister was apprised of the problems faced by exporters of Pashmina Shawls at customs on suspicion of Pashmina shawls having the content of banned content. A detailed presentation about heritage Pashmina craft, it’s weaving process and exports clearance was made. It was impressed upon him that the centuries old cottage craft provided employment to tens of thousands of male & female artisans and the product was in demand within and outside the country in the form of shawls, stoles, rumals, lingerie and fashion items. However, for some time the exporters are facing difficulties at customs where Wildlife Department officials send it to testing facilities outside Delhi (Dehradun/Kolkata). Sometimes the tests report the presence of Guard Hair which is confused with Shahtoosh. The process involves a considerable period of time lasting for months. In this process the chain of production gets disturbed affecting the livelihood of artisans involved in the process of Pashmina weaving & embroidery. Hence, the need to have the Latest Pashmina Testing Machine installed at Srinagar & Delhi and simplification of the clearance at custom. The KCCI proposed to the minister that in view of conflicting reports of laboratories the DNA testing of export consignments be done . The Minister accepted the KCCI proposal and assured that in future the DNA testing will be done. The Minister was apprised about the issue of NOC/clearance by Pollution Control Committee which needed to be simplified and made time bound .

The KCCI President invited the Minister for a seminar in Srinagar to review the progress of conservation projects being carried by Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change and he accepted the invitation and asked KCCI that a suitable date  of  Seminar be communicated to him for confirmation. The KCCI delegation thanked the Minister for his time ,understanding and on spot instructions which will go a long way in easing out the problems of Pashmina exporters.