Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Wednesday flagged off the first consignment of fresh apricots for export to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and pitched for setting up a world-class apricot processing unit in the Union Territory to strengthen outbound shipments.
The inaugural consignment of five metric tonnes was flagged off from Ladakh Bhawan here under an agreement signed by the Ladakh administration with the UAE-based Lulu Group earlier this year.
"It would not be incorrect to say that today marks a historic occasion for Ladakh's entire horticulture sector, and especially for its hardworking farmers," Saxena said, adding that the export would give Ladakh's world-famous Raktsey apricots "a new and strong identity" in international markets.
He said direct access to overseas markets would enable farmers to obtain "fair and better prices" for their produce, leading to higher incomes and improved living standards.
Highlighting the region's unique climatic conditions, Saxena said Ladakh's high altitude, intense sunlight, cool temperatures and pristine ecosystem enhance the colour, flavour, sweetness and nutritional value of its apricots, making them highly sought-after globally.
Referring to the agreement with Lulu Group, Saxena said more than 1,000 metric tonnes of apricots would be exported from Ladakh this season, compared to only about 1,500 kg exported over the previous two years.He added that exporters undertake harvesting, sorting, packing, transportation and marketing, relieving farmers of the burden of handling the entire supply chain.
Speaking to reporters after the flag-off, Saxena said, "We signed an agreement with the Lulu Group in April to export 1,000 tonnes of apricots. Today, under that very agreement, a five-tonne consignment has been flagged off from here and is set to depart for Dubai this evening."
"Farmers simply provide access to their orchards, and the exporter manages the entire process," he said.
Saxena said the Ladakh administration had been monitoring the movement of trucks carrying the produce from the orchards to Delhi through a dedicated control room and would continue to extend full support to ensure timely exports.
He said the administration was also working to facilitate a green corridor or similar arrangements so that trucks carrying the fruit could reach Delhi within two to three days.
Calling for value addition in the horticulture sector, Saxena said he would strive to establish a world-class apricot processing unit in Ladakh within a year.
"Our challenge today is the lack of high-quality processing units. However, I assure you that I will strive to establish a world-class processing unit in Ladakh within a year," he said, adding that it would help address the fruit's short shelf life and make exports smoother.
Saxena thanked APEDA, CONCOR, Lulu Group and officials of the Ladakh administration for supporting the export initiative.