By Editor Sure, it is true that India doesn’t rank as one of the top wool-producing countries in the world, and that’s mainly because the winter isn’t too harsh here, so technically, we don’t need to rely on wool-made clothes, but the industry still exists, although it is considerably small. As per estimates, India produces around 43 to 46 million kg of wool every single year, and there are some specific states in India that contribute the most to this total production number. And today, we’re here to talk about just that.
1. Rajasthan
We get it, many of you must be like: Rajasthan? Top in wool production? How?? Well, believe it or not, for a long time, Rajasthan is the state that has been the main supporter of India’s wool industry. Talking about specifics here, see, just Rajasthan is accounting for more than 30% of the total wool output of India, with a yearly production of wool reaching quite close to 14,463 thousand kilograms. The reason is pretty simple too, like, the extensive Thar Desert area is where large numbers of sheep can be found, and the state is already equipped with several wool-processing units that are in operation.
2. Karnataka
And then, it could very well be that you don’t know, but the wool scene of Karnataka is intricately tied to its location on the Deccan Plateau, where a big dry area that is a natural habitat for sheep rearing is found. Without a single doubt, that’s the reason why Karnataka is still very much sure of holding the second position on our list. The state is making close to 8,821 thousand kilos of wool annually, which is quite a feat if you take into account the fact that it has a mixed farming system. Here, of course, agriculture is still the main source of livelihood for a large portion of the workforce, and sheep rearing is the single most important instrument of annual income for thousands of rural families.
3. Telangana
Oh, and we get it, very interestingly, Telangana is ranked third in the list. You might be thinking the same that the state has a hot and semi-arid climate, it utilizes its land in a clever way by the rearing of sheep, particularly in regions where the growth of usual crops is bad. Every year, the state of Telangana generates wool to the tune of approximately 4,423 thousand kilograms. And it is pretty much an intricate detail but the occurrence of several major irrigation projects along the Godavari and Krishna rivers ensures that the farmers have sufficient fodder for their cattle. So, the connection is pretty much there.
4. Gujarat
Gujarat is 2nd last in the list with a wool production of about 2,577 thousand kilograms per year. And it is a neighboring state of Rajasthan, so you can pretty much expect that, but other than that, the state’s arid areas, in particular the regions around the Rann of Kutch, are the habitats of the pastoral communities which have been shepherding the sheep for multiple generations. And sure enough, in our opinion, if you’re keeping an eye on the wool production scene of India, you should never underestimate Gujarat because the production amount depends a lot on various factors, and if everything goes perfectly, Gujarat can very well rank higher up in this list soon.
5. Jammu & Kashmir
Coming in at number five, we get it, surely, handicrafts have been the main attraction of Jammu & Kashmir for a long time, but a large number of people do not know that wool is the most important component of the region’s economy. Hence, J&K is definitely the fifth one out of the top five. The climate here and the cold are enough to make you believe or trust why the highest quality wool actually comes from this state, like the fresh valleys and high mountain meadows with their pristine natural conditions make ideal pastures for sheep and goats.
Conclusion
There you have it. See, the majority of the production of wool right here in India happens in these five states, and that’s if you closely look at the year-on-year numbers, the supply is increasing, and that’s just because the demand already exists for the high-quality Indian wool.