A. Angora Wool Development Scheme
In India, Angora Rabbit Wool is produced in hilly areas of Uttaranchal, Himachal
Pradesh and other hilly areas where climatic conditions were found suitable. The total
Angora population in the country is around 50,000 and approximately 30,000 Kg. wool is
produced annually.
The Angora Rabbit Wool can be used by mixing with other fibres in knitwears,
shawls and worsted suiting. At present very few mills in Ludhiana region are processing this
fibre on woollen system to produce knitting yarn. The Angora Wool produced in the country
is not of uniform quality making it difficult to develop a suitable processing system.
Consequently, we are importing yarn of Angora Wool for knitwear sector. Apart from it, we
are also importing wool slivers of this fibre, which is blended with wool & silk in the
country.
Keeping in view the importance of the fibre and the potential for employment
generation, there is need to increase production and productivity of the Angora Wool by
making Rabbit rearing a popular occupation. High profitability, vast potential of employment
generation, huge potential for earning foreign exchange and role of Angora rabbits husbandry
in ecological rehabilitation are few of the many positive factors, which call for coordinated
efforts, so that the farmers take up angora rearing in a big way, particularly the educated
unemployed youth. The people in the village have understood the favorable economics and
livelihood potential of angora farming. The educated unemployed youth can take up this
profession and traditional farmers can also supplement their income through this profession.
With this in view, the Central Wool Development Board engaged with an integrated
approach for the development of Angora rabbit farming in the country. In the 10th Plan, the
CWDB implemented Angora development programme to support angora-rearing activity
among farmers, strengthening of GPC, distribution of rabbits among farmers as foundation
stock along with necessary training and feed and nutritional support.
It also provided inputs for Common Facility Centres, designs, skill up-gradation and
improved marketing opportunities to the farmers to encourage the processing of wool by the
grower so that the economic benefit and other inputs and value addition to him could be
maximized.
Looking the economic returns from processed Angora Fibre, the potential for
employment generation in hilly remote areas, the dearth of sustainable livelihood alternatives;
it is proposed to continue efforts at angora development project on large scale for production
and marketing of angora wool, yarn and hand made angora woollen garments to generate
employment and raise family income, keeping young men and women in their native villages,
by adopting integrated approach.
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Project objectives
i)
ii)
iii)
iv)
v)
vi)
vii)
The main objectives of the projects are defined as belowTo introduce the concept of scientific and planned rearing in the field of Angora
rabbit wool production.
To provide quality concentrate feed and ensuring its regular supply at denoted
standards.
To provide basic training in Angora rabbit rearing so that women and educated
unemployed youth can take up this profession and traditional farmers can
supplement their income.
To create opportunities for employment and income generation in rural areas by
developing wool based village and cottage industries.
To follow integrated approach for development of integrated angora rabbit wool
development programme to increase production and productivity of Angora wool
and Angora woollen products.
To involve various Govt. & Non Govt. Development agencies in the fied of
Angora rabbit production, wool Processing and marketing under existing small
scale, cottage & handloom set up.
Implementing Agency: The Project will be implemented by the State Government Organization, Co-operative
Societies/ Non-governmental Organization engaged in Angora Rabbit Development
Programme in the concerned State.
All the beneficiaries of the Project are to be encouraged to form one or more cooperative societies or are to be taken as member in existing co-operatives. The implementing
Agency will implement the Project through the concerned Society.
Components of the Project 
The project implementation will have the following components-:
i)
ii)
iii)
iv)
Establishment of Mini Angora Rabbit Farms
Common Facility for Angora Wool Processing & Training
Research & Development
Strengthening of Angora Rabbit Germplasm Centre
1. Establishment of Mini Angora Farmsi)
Const. of Shed Since angora is a costly fibre, each rabbit has to be housed in rust
proof cages preferably under shed system to avoid any loss due to improper management.
This requires higher investment on quality germplasm, cages, housing system & other daily
routine management practices to establish and run a farm and to get good returns. The high
cost of inputs also discourages the reares to provide the required inputs leading to slow
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progress, poor reproductive efficiency in the flock, high mortality rate, low wool production
and uncertain/poor returns.
Assistance for const. of shed for 50 animals to the beneficiaries attaining the target of
50 angora rabbits after completion of one yr. Period will be provided @ Rs.10, 000/- i.e. 50%
of the shed cost. Total cost for the cons. of shed will be Rs.20,000 /-. The Board will provide
50 % of total cost of shed & remaining will be contributed by beneficiaries itself.
ii)
Training to farmers- training will be the essential part of the project. Training to the
rural farmers will be organized at GARSA, Kullu to sensitive farmers to variety of rabbit
related income generating activities so that they can gain knowledge about latest information
in the field of rabbit husbandry as well as information about the breed, common diseases &
their control through vaccination, deworming & fodder production etc. the training will be
aimed to encourage rural farmers to adopt rabbit farming as a profitable venture. After
providing training to selected beneficiaries the Board will give foundation stock to them for
rearing.
iii)
Supply of foundation stocks Since rearing of angoras is mainly hill enterprise, the
topographic conditions, permits scattered and small units, which are difficult to supervise on
regular basis under the present set up of ongoing programmes. This results in closing up of
the units in the primary stage. The farmer is unable to get the necessary assistance in case of
problems faced by him in day-to-day management.
Therefore under this activity each selected families will be provided a foundation
stock of 12 Angora rabbit (4 Male + 8 Female). A committee of technical officers will select
the foundation stock of their choice from govt. farm/private breeders. This component has
been taken with the view to improve the production of Angora rabbit hairs of specified
character undertaking a continuous programme of selection of animals with desired
parameters. Supply of such selected animals has to be ensured to the farmers, so that the
production remains optimum. A provision of Rs.12, 000 /- is kept for one unit of 12 rabbits in
the Project.
It was envisaged that a unit up to 50 rabbits could be reared in a small low cost shed.
It is assumed that an average family will start with 4 male + 8 female; and the unit will grow
to a size of 24 by the end of the 1st year and to a size of 50 in the 2nd year and will be
maintained.
iv)
Supply of cages The CWDB will provide two a unit of 24 cages to each family
assuming that a unit of 12 rabbits will increase to 50 rabbits in two years. Under the project, a
provision of Rs. 4000/- per unit is kept for supply of cages for the rabbits to the beneficiaries.
v)
Supply of Medical kit Rabbit is an animal, which liable to contract numerous
disease. There is need to develop management practices in which possibility of diseases
introduction is minimized. Accordingly a provision of Rs. 500/- per beneficiaries has been
made in the Project.
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vi) Supply of feed  The present system of rabbit rearing requires availability of most
balanced feed. The Board will provide fund of Rs. 6500/- per unit for 2 year for initial parent
stock of 12 rabbits & for remaining, farmer will arrange from his own resources.
v)
Provision of bageshwari Charkas & looms It is envisaged that several if not all
rabbit rearing families would have the capability, and want to spin part of their own
wool, both to meet their own requirements and to absorb the value addition into their
earnings. Therefore, it would be essential to incorporate the concept of processing 25
to 30 percent of the wool produced in every household into yarn as well as finished
products. The Board will provide Rs.6000/- for purchasing of one Charka & manual
card to beneficiaries.
2. Common Facility cum training Centres The Board will provide financial assistance as subsidy @ 50% of the total cost of
equipments/machines required by the organization, however maximum limit of subsidy
amount will be Rs. 3.00 Lacs only in each case. If state Govt. Deptt. /Organization it self
interested to set up CFC, then 100% financial assistance may be given for equipments
/machineries. If an organization already having sufficient infrastructure to run the
center, assistance will be given for training part only.
a) TrainingSelected organization will provide training for a batch of 10 persons for three months
in spinning, weaving & designing of wool and woolen products. Trainees will be selected
from the nearby areas of the centres. The Board will provide stipend @ Rs. 60/- per day to
the each trainee for three months. The Board will also provide assistance @ Rs. 5000/- per
month as honorarium for keeping an instructor to train the selected persons. The raw material
will be contributed by the organization that will run the CFC. Preference may be given to
those organizations, which are already been engaged in processing of wool & Woolens.
b) Support Services for establishing processing unitsThe Board will also provide financial assistance for distributing looms and charkas to
the selected trained persons so that they can able to spin & weave wool and woolens and
generate income from this profession. This facility will be created at the premises of
Common Facility Centre to undertake job work by trained persons provided by the
implementing agency of these items will be handed over to the beneficiaries if they desired
so.
c) Support services for product development, Design Development and product
diversificationQuality product and its designating is essential to compete in national and
international market. However the technical know-how for quality products manufacture and
designing is lacking for this high priced fibre. Production of quality angora blended yarn;
vegetable dyeing of yarns and product designing are the fields, which need serious
intervention.
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The Board will support the selected organization for providing services of reputed
organizations like NIFT, NID, TRA’s, CSWRI & WRA etc. to give technical know how for
product development and diversification to the center & trainees.
d) Marketing Support
The CWDB will also provide free stalls, transport expenses to the selected
organizations to exhibit and sale their products in Woollen expo organized by the Board
at different places during winter season.
3
Research and Development-
Looking at the inadequate availability of raw material, low productivity of the looms,
and poor skills or the weavers in weaving techniques, the scheme will encourage R&D
activities on diverse connected issues, eg. Fabrication of machines, blending and processing
of angora wool, dyeing and designing of Woollen products made of angora etc. For this
purpose, Research Institutes Universities/TRAs, etc. will be provided assistance for R&D
Projects.
4
Strengthening of Angora Rabbit Germplasm Centre-
Rabbit has fast multiplication rate with a gestation period of only 30-32 days.
Effective planning is required to control in breeding problem. In breeding decline the
reproductive and production performance, causes poor growth rate, genetic & congenital
abnormalities. Average wool production in the country varies between 600 to 700 Gms. per
animal this is due to non-availability of high wool yielding germplasm of Angora rabbits for
up gradation of the existing GPC. There is a need to strengthen the existing centers by
providing quality germplasm either by import from different country or make available at
domestic level so that parent stock can be kept there and the kid produced can be made
available to the beneficiaries.
The project proposes to strengthen existing GPCs and state rabbit farms to upgrade
technical know how. For this purpose high yielding Angora rabbits of 8-10 sire lines will be
procured from abroad as well as from domestic sources. This will be a continuous process to
grow & maintain the high quality Germplasm for further distribution to farmers. Physical and
Financial targets under the scheme is as followsEstimated Projection of Rabbit Population and Angora Wool Production under the Project
S.
Particulars
No.
1. No. of Families to be
benefited
2. Population of Rabbit in the
ambit
3. Total
Angora
Wool
production 0.750 Kg. per
animal, per year.
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1st
Year
40
2nd Year
4th
Year
100
5th year
Total
160
3rd
Year
100
-
400
1000
6000
12500
17500
20000
20000
750
4500
9375
15000
42750
13125
5
4.
Approximate market value of
Angora Wool out put @ Rs.
900/- per Kg. (Rs. in Lakhs)
6.75
40.50
84.37
118.12
135.00
384.74
Component-wise Indicative Financial Implications for ‘Angora Wool Development
Programme’ during the 11th Five Year Plan for Rs. 446 lakhs crores is as under:
(Rs. in lakhs)
S.N
I
Activity
Unit cost
(for 2
2007-08
year
project)
2009-10
2008-09
2010-11 2011-12
Establishment of Angora
Production Units
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Total
No. of Families to be covered
a)
b)
c)
Assistance for construction of low
cost Shed to attaining the target of
50 rabbits after completion of one
year the farmers.(50% of cost of
shed)
Supply of foundation stock (4 male
+ 8 female)@ Rs. 1000/- per rabbit
(1000X12)
Supply of cages (24 cages for one
unit)@Rs.4000/- per unit
40
160
100
100
400
0.100
4.000
16.00
10.000
10.000
-
40.000
0.120
4.80
19.20
12.000
12.000
-
48.000
0.080
1.60
8.00
10.40
8.000
4.000
32.000
d)
Supply of medical kit @ Rs.500/- to
each beneficiary
0.005
0.200
0.80
0.500
0.500
-
2.000
e)
Supply of feed (150gm/rabbit/day)
12X0.150X365=6.57@Rs.1000 per
Quintal (Rs.550 per rabbit per year
0.130
2.600
13.00
16.90
13.000
6.500
52.000
f)
Provision of bageshwari Charkha &
manual carding machine for
spinning of Angora Wool at
household level by beneficiary
@Rs.6000/-
0.060
-
2.400
9.600
6.000
6.000
24.000
Total ( a to f )
0.495
13.2
59.40
59.4
49.5
16.5
198
0.025
0.66
2.97
2.97
2.45
0.825
9.85
0.520
13.86
62.37
62.37
51.95
17.32
207.90
g)
Overhead expenses @ 5% of Total
Cost of the project
Total (a+b+c+d+e+f+g)
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S.N
Activity
II
Setting up of Common Facility –
Cum – Training Centre:-
2009-10
2010-11 2011-12
Total
1
8
5
5
5
24
3
3.00
24.00
15.00
15.00
15.00
72.00
Support for establishment
Processing Units (Looms &
b)
Charkas) 7000/- per set of loom &
charka
1.4
1.40
11.20
7.00
7.00
7.00
33.60
Support for product development,
c) design development & product
diversification.
1
1.00
8.00
5.00
5.00
5.00
24.00
2.16
17.28
10.80
10.80
10.80
51.84
0.6
0.60
4.80
3.00
3.00
3.00
14.40
8.16
8.16
65.28
40.80
40.80
40.80
195.84
0.26
0.26
2.08
1.30
1.30
1.30
6.24
8.42
8.42
67.36
42.10
42.10
42.10
202.08
R&D activities on divers connected
issues like fabrication of machines,
blending and processing of angora
wool and designing of Woollen
products made on angora etc.
-
14
5
-
-
19
Strengthening of Existing
Germplasm Centres (GPC)
-
5.12
4
4
4
17.12
Stipend to trainees (10 persons for 3
months @ Rs. 60/- per day)
60X30X3X10=54000
Honorarium to Instructor @ Rs.
e)
5000/- per month
Total (a+b+c+d+e)
Administrative Overhead to
f) implementing agency (approx. 10%
of training part only i.e. (b) to (e ).
IV
2008-09
Support for setting up Processing
Facility – Blending / Carding /
a) Spinning /Dyeing / & Finishing
(subsidy 50%, maximum Rs. 3.00
Lakhs)
d)
III
Unit cost
(for 2
2007-08
year
project)
Sub total II (a+b+c+d+e+f)
Research& Development: -
2.16
GRAND TOTAL ( I to IV )
22.28 148.85
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113.47
98.05 63.40 446.05
8