MoU signed with Mongolia to share experience on Pashmina production, trade

Kathmandu, June 28

Nepali Pashmina entrepreneurs and Mongolian officials have reached an understanding to collaborate for quality testing and analysis of wool fibres and for exchanging knowledge and research works in this sector.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Nepal Pashmina Industries Association (NPIA) and the Research and Development Institute of Light Industry (RDILI) of the Mongolian government in Ulaanbaatar on Wednesday.

Vijoy Dugar, the president of the NPIA, and Turmunkh Togmid, the Director of the RDILI, signed the MoU on behalf of the respective agencies.

The MoU was inked in the presence of Madhu Kumar Marasini, Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, and Jambaltseren Tumur-Uya, State Secretary of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry of Mongolia.

As per the MoU, Nepali pashmina entrepreneurs will get samples of Pashmina fibre, semi-processed wools, and woollen products tested and analysed by RDILI in Mongolia, the NPIA informed in a statement on Wednesday.

Similarly, both parties also agreed to share experiences, knowledge, and research works with each other in the coming days. The five-year term MoU took effect from the day of the signing subject to extension upon mutual understanding between both parties.

The MoU was signed on the sideline of the World Export Development Forum (WEDF) 2023 organised by the International Trade Centre in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, which was also attended by a Nepali delegation including senior government officials and private sector representatives.

The event offered diverse sessions aimed at discussing a wide range of issues pertaining to the export promotion of least-developed countries.

The EU-funded Trade and Investment supported the participation of Nepali pashmina entrepreneurs at the four-day event that kicked off on Monday. The NPIA was among the 130 companies which participated in the B2B meetings during the WEDF in Mongolia.

“The MoU is a significant step towards securing benefits from Mongolia's experience in woollen and Cashmere production and export and exchanges of various research and innovation in this field,” said Secretary Marasini at the MoU signing programme, read the statement.

Likewise, Jambaltseren Tumur-Uya, Director of RDILI, said, “The MoU has paved the way for Mongolia’s support on quality testing and analysis of Nepali Cashmere products from Nepal, expansion of business relations between the two countries and, exchange of knowledge and research works in this field.”

NPIA President Dugar, said that the MoU provided an opportunity for Nepali Pashmina entrepreneurs to take benefits from the long experience and expertise of Mongolia which is a leading producer and exporter of Cashmere and woollen products.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 29 June 2023.