JAMMU: Department of Sheep Husbandry operationalized the functioning of Wool Mandis constructed under the flagship scheme Holistic Agricultural Development Programme (HADP) Promotion of Wool/Pelt Processing and Marketing from 4th to 7th December 2024.

A buyer/seller meet was organized at Wool Mandi Kartholi (Samba) and Pouni (Reasi). A large number of buyers from Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh participated in the meet and more than 174 quintals of wool of sheep breeders of different Districts of Jammu Division was sold by the farmers.

In order to fetch more prices of wool for the breeders and to provide a platform to breeders to sell their wool, it was decided to hold such Mandis once every quarter of the year in future. The establishment of such Mandis shall help to reduce the menace of middlemanship and exploitation of thousands of Sheep and Wool growers in the Division.

The department has made elaborate arrangements for Machine Shearing of Sheep, Bailing of wool and establishment of Common Facilitation Centre's (CFC) for processing of wool and Pelt.

The Department will establish more Mandis in future in order to provide sustainable livelihood and economic growth of the Sheep farmers.