Srinagar: The Pashmina Testing and Quality Certification Centre (PTQCC) at the Craft Development Institute (CDI), Srinagar, has increased its daily testing capacity for Geographical Indication (GI) products, including Kashmir Pashmina, Kani and Sozni-embroidered shawls, from 40-45 tests in 2024-25 to around 170 in the current financial year, the Handicrafts and Handloom Department said on Wednesday.
According to the department, PTQCC conducted 13,369 tests in 2024-25 and 22,351 in 2025-26. It has already completed approximately 21,000 tests in 2026-27, with another 21,000 projected between November 2026 and March 31, 2027, taking the annual total to around 42,000.
The department attributed the increase to upgraded laboratory infrastructure and growing demand for GI certification and QR coding of products.
The Pashmina laboratory has been equipped with a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and two high-resolution digital microscopes. The department is also procuring an additional OFDA 2000 fibre analyser and another digital microscope under the capital expenditure budget for 2026-27.
These additions are expected to improve fibre identification and quality assessment while helping the centre process a larger volume of products.
The department said GI-authorised users submitting hand-spun, hand-woven Pashmina products featuring Sozni embroidery were being given preferential treatment.
To improve transparency and streamline testing procedures, the department has developed an online appointment and token management system for its testing laboratories, including PTQCC, the Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT) and the Quality Control Division (QCD). The system, developed by the department’s Resource Cell, is expected to be launched on a pilot basis shortly.
The department is also augmenting technical manpower to operate the upgraded equipment. Staff members are being sent to the Wool Research Association in Thane, Maharashtra, for technical training.
The department said the additional capacity would help meet rising demand for certification and QR coding and strengthen authentication of genuine GI-tagged handicrafts. Faster and more reliable testing is also expected to support market access for Kashmir’s Pashmina and other handicrafts, particularly in export and premium domestic markets.
