New Delhi, August 3: An ambitious scheme has been taken up to step up the production of Pashmina and Mohair, used in the manufacture of warm luxury fabrics which have a good export market.The scheme is part of an all-India co-ordinated research project on goat breeding being implemented by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).A multi-pronged strategy to improve Pashmina production includes selective breeding of indigenous goats and cross breeding with imported Soviet breeds. Efforts would also be made to rear them in the high altitude Himalayan regions of U.P. where these goats can thrive.There are at present two research centres for improving Pashmina production located at Leh in Ladakh and Mukteswar in U.P.According to the chief co-ordinator of the project, Dr. R. M. Acharya, there are at present only 40,000 Pashmina goats of Chan Thangi breed in Ladakh region and some small number in Himachal Pradesh.These goats produce Pashmina of quality which is “as good or slightly better” than any produced in other countries. Published - August 04, 2026 03:26 am IST