L-G Vinai Kumar Saxena’s push, Ladakh Administration signs MoU with Lulu Retail for export of Ladakhi apricots globally 1000 MT of Ladakhi apricot to be exported this season.

L-G Vinai Kumar Saxena’s push, Ladakh Administration signs MoU with Lulu Retail for export of Ladakhi apricots globally 1000 MT of Ladakhi apricot to be exported this season, marking a quantum jump from 1500 KG till last year L-G says export will ensure financial benefits to farmers and strengthen Ladakh’s unique identity and recognition.
Leh, April 16: The unique Ladakhi Apricots, famous for their exceptionally rich sweetness and flavour, are all set to make a grand foray in the global markets this season. Consequent to a major push by Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor, Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena, for promoting the branding and export of Ladakh’s GI-tagged “Raktsey Karpo” apricot variety, as well as the region-specific “Halman variety”, the UT Administration today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with global conglomerate, UAE-based Lulu Retail, for export of 1000 MT of apricots this season, which is a historic first for Ladakh. This export volume is a quantum jump from just 1500 kg of apricots that were exported during the last two years.
Shri Saxena, on Wednesday, held a meeting with representatives of the Lulu Retail and APEDA to finalise the export potential. The MoU has been signed with Lulu Retail through the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and the Ministry of Food Processing Industry (MOFPI), Government of India. The MoU was signed by Shri Bhupesh Chaudhary, Secretary, Horticulture, UT Administration and Shri Salim MA, Group Director- Global Operations, Lulu Retail, in the presence of Lieutenant Governor Shri VK Saxena.
It was agreed upon in the meeting with the Lieutenant Governor that Lulu Retail will procure at least 1000 MT of apricots from the farmers in Ladakh this season and process, package and market the product in international markets, while upholding the identity of Ladakh.
As of now, the farmers face a tough time sorting, cleaning, packaging and marketing apricots using traditional methods that often lead to heavy losses during processing and packaging. However, with the MoU in place, the farmers, at the time of harvest, will hand over their apricot fields to the exporter that will be responsible for plucking, sorting, processing, packaging, transporting and marketing of the product in the international markets.
This, the Lieutenant Governor said, would ensure minimal loss of the produce and would also earn fair pricing for the farmers. “The unique apricots of Ladakh are an agricultural heritage of this region. The MoU aims at tapping the immense yet under-utilised potential of apricot cultivation in Ladakh, which is known for producing the finest apricot varieties in the world. This will eliminate the processing and marketing struggles of the farmers and will ensure enhanced pricing for the farmers. At the same time, this initiative will strengthen Ladakh’s recognition at the national and international levels,” Shri Saxena said, while addressing a two-day national workshop on “Enhancing Apricot Cultivation and Value Chain in Ladakh” organised by the UT Administration.
Terming the MoU as “historic,” the Lieutenant Governor described it as a major achievement for Ladakh’s horticulture sector and said that the MoU will ensure direct economic benefits to farmers by opening international export channels. He added that talks are also going on to market Ladakhi apples abroad.
Shri Saxena also underscored the need to establish processing units in Ladakh to minimise wastage and enhance value addition. He assured that the Administration would take all necessary steps to support infrastructure development and promote Ladakhi products in international markets. He further announced plans to launch Ladakh’s own e-commerce portal, on the lines of major platforms like Amazon and Flipkart, to provide farmers with direct market access.
The Lieutenant Governor also inspected the stalls showcasing horticulture and handloom/handicrafts products by self-help groups (SHGs) and entrepreneurs.