Under the Department of Livestock and as part of the 13th Five Year Plan’s High-Value Product Development program, the National Highland Development Centre has successfully carried out Bhutan’s first-ever pilot on processing fine yak wool.
From May to August this year, raw wool was collected from Eusu, Bji, and Katsho Gewogs in Haa Dzongkhag, as well as from the National Yak Farm herds. The initiative, supported through a Technical Cooperation Project funded by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), aims to enhance livestock-based income and im
prove the livelihoods of highland yak herders.
The fine wool, combed from young yaks, underwent a complete processing cycle — from sorting, grading, and washing to drying, dehairing, and carding — producing premium-quality wool tops (sliver) ready for spinning.
Preliminary results show that both the wool tops and the spun yarn are of outstanding quality, signaling a promising future for value addition in Bhutan’s yak wool sector.
