Lalitpur, March 14:

An interactive workshop between farmers and entrepreneurs was organized here with a view to promote carpet production and solve the lack-of-market problem of sheep herders.

The day-long workshop organized under the She-ep and Goat Development Programme in association with Trade and Export Promotion Centre was attended by 30 farmers from seven districts including Manang, Mustang and Jumla.

On the occasion, director of the department of livestock services Prabhakar Pathak said the government had allocated budget to promote sheep wool production programme. A pilot project has already been launched in Manang, Mustang and Jumla districts.

Senior livestock development officer at Central Sheep and Goat Development Programme Keshav Achhami said Tibetan sheep were being distributed among the farmers to improve the breed of Nepali sheep and promote wool production.

Presenting a working paper, chairman of Woolen Thread Industries’ Association Hari Bahadur Thakuri said the wool trade in the country was worth Rs 15 million.

He added that if wool production were to be expanded in the country, carpet industries would not have to depend on import of wool.