The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has extended a warm welcome to the inauguration of the Animal Fibre Quality Assurance Laboratory at the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences & Animal Husbandry (FVSc & AH), SKUAST-Kashmir, Shuhama Campus and also expressed appreciation for the distribution of Modified Modern Steel Carpet Looms among artisan clusters across several districts by the Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT).
KCCI described the newly inaugurated laboratory as a landmark intervention for Kashmir’s famed Pashmina sector. The Chamber said the lab will serve as a crucial institution for safeguarding the purity, authenticity, and sanctity of Pashmina, which has for centuries been celebrated as the “gold standard” of India’s natural fibres. By ensuring scientific testing and certification, the facility will help protect artisans and genuine stakeholders from the growing threat of imitation products, while strengthening consumer confidence in both domestic and international markets.
On the distribution of Modern Steel Carpet Looms, KCCI noted that the beneficiaries include artisan clusters from Anantnag, Bandipora, Baramulla, Budgam, Kulgam, and Srinagar. The Chamber emphasized that the upgraded looms are not only expected to enhance productivity and weaving precision but will also improve working conditions for artisans who have long been dependent on outdated equipment. Such technological interventions, it said, are vital for preserving the global reputation of Kashmiri carpets while making the craft more attractive to the younger generation.
It further recalled that IICT had earlier also distributed modern looms which have already proven highly beneficial for artisan families by increasing efficiency, reducing physical strain, and improving the overall quality of finished products. The Chamber said the continued distribution of such looms reflects a consistent and practical approach to modernizing the sector.
KCCI acknowledged the assurance given by Union Textiles Secretary Ms. Neelama Shami Rao on Wednesday during the event that the proposal submitted by the Department of Handicrafts & Handloom, Kashmir, for the procurement of 500 additional looms is under active consideration. While welcoming this move, the Chamber underscored the urgent need to expand the scale of this initiative. It urged the government to sanction and provide more modern looms in order to cover larger sections of artisan communities across the Valley, thereby directly improving their incomes and securing the future of this heritage industry.
The Chamber placed on record its appreciation for the proactive efforts of Commissioner Secretary, Industries & Commerce, Vikramjit Singh; Director, Handicrafts & Handloom Kashmir, Mussrat Islam; and Director, Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT), Zubair Ahmad. Their initiatives, KCCI said, reflect a sincere commitment to strengthening Kashmir’s artisan-based economy and ensuring that traditional crafts remain competitive in a rapidly changing market environment.
Reiterating its role as a stakeholder in the preservation and promotion of Kashmir’s handicraft sector, the Chamber expressed hope that these developments will be followed up with sustained institutional support, including research and development, artisan welfare measures, skill development programmes, and international market linkages.
