Pashmina Is Hot

NEPAL’S exports industry has traditionally been confined to a few items. Just a couple of them used to be the biggest foreign exchange earners rivalling tourism until some years ago. While some exportable items naturally would do much better, for various reasons, compared to some others, it is nonetheless an uncomfortable situation to be riding just a couple of items for far too long. Carpets and garments have been the traditional exportables. The dependence on these two items meant that when some market adversity befell either one of the two items, Nepal’s foreign exchange dwindled to that extent. That such a situation was allowed to continue too long had to do with the absence of efforts in exports diversification in terms of exportables. Then pashmina popped up on the scene. Suddenly it was a rage in the international markets. Nepal’s handwoven pashmina went from strength to strength. Thus, one more item joined Nepal’s skimpy list of hot exportables. A recent news report says the increase in pashmina exports has been quite notable. According to the figures supplied by Nepal Handicrafts Association, which certifies hand-crafted pashmina, some 5.6 billion rupees worth of hand-woven pashmina was exported in 1999-2000. This is a huge jump on the previous year’s figures which were 280 million rupees. Another good trend is that most of the Nepalese pashmina now go to countries other than India to which some 80 per cent used to be exported only a few years ago. Obviously, the pashmina, from there, would travel onward to final destination markets. Now exports to India is only 30 per cent. That tells a story. Apparently, Nepalese pashmina traders are getting smarter and getting in touch themselves with buyers in the rich countries, bypassing themiddlemen. From all prognostications, Nepalese pashmina will see further growth in the days ahead. The international markets have warmed to it conspicuously. The going is good. But a caution is required. Manufacturers and traders must ensure that this hot item does not suffer from any possible aberrations that often accompany an industry growing too fast. While they must seize the market opportunities available wherever, they must ensure full quality control in production. The industry has to form standards and monitor compliance. The government, for its part, must do what it can to allow this forex earner to grow unhindered and allow it to continue to remain a hot exportable.

Need For Preparedness

EARTHQUAKE Risk Awareness Day was observed Monday in Nepal with the objective of generating awareness among the general public about the consequences of possible earthquakes that might occur in Nepal. Minister for Science and Technology Surendra Prasad Chaudhari, in a message on the occasion of the Earthquake Risk Awareness Day, called upon all to give due attention to the aspect of earthquake risk management. As Nepal lies in a major seismic zone, greater awareness on the preparedness in managing the possible risk of earthquake in the country is highly needed. Nepal has time and again faced several natural calamities, which have caused enormous loss of life and property. But there is little knowledge and experience among the people as well as the authorities on the management of such risks in advance. This makes things further worse at a time when such calamities take place. Earthquake is one of the natural calamities that occur all of a sudden and Nepal has experienced such unfortunate and unforeseen events at different times in the past. The worst earthquake was experienced in Nepal 67 years ago, which killed thousands of people and destroyed property worth millions of rupees. After that also some major earthquakes have been recorded which have caused damage of life and property at several times. Nepal, thus, requires making greater preparedness for natural calamities and earthquake risk management in order to reduce the magnitude of loss of life and property. However, much attention does not seem to have been given to this aspect due to various reasons. Against this background an international symposium on natural disaster and earthquake risk management was organised in Kathmandu the other day in which participants and experts stressed the need for familiarising the general people with basic knowledge about security measures to be taken when disasters and earthquakes in particular occur. At the same time, proper attention needs to be given while constructing buildings, bridges, roads and irrigation canals in order to lessen the magnitude of damage when such calamities occure. However, this knowledge and such precaution lacks in the country and constructions works are carried out without giving proper attention to this aspect. As most of the private houses, government buildings and other development infrastructures have been constructed without giving attention to this factor, the country in general and urban areas in particular would have to witness enormous damages if major earthquake occurs in the future. People need to be made aware of the risk and steps to be taken at the time of such disasters, while the government needs to strictly implement the minimum standard in construction works.