Leh, Apr 16 (PTI) In a major boost to the horticulture sector, the Ladakh Administration on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with LuLu Retail to export 1,000 tonnes of premium Ladakhi apricots to international markets this season.

The agreement marks a dramatic scale-up from just 1,500 kg (1.5 tonnes) of apricots exported over the last two years, signalling a new phase of market access, value addition and global visibility for the region’s produce, an official said.

Consequent to a major push by Lt Governor 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 Union Territory Administration signed the MoU with global conglomerate, UAE-based Lulu Retail, for the export of 1,000 tonnes of apricots this season, which is a historic first for the region, an official spokesperson said.

On Wednesday, the Lt Governor 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 spokesman said..

He said the MoU was signed by Bhupesh Chaudhary, Secretary, Horticulture, UT Administration and Salim M A, Group Director- Global Operations, Lulu Retail, in the presence of the Lt Governor.

Lulu Retail, a leading retailer in the Gulf region, will procure at least 1,000 tonnes 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, the spokesman said.

As of now, he said 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, the spokesman said.

The Lt Governor said this 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,” Saxena said.

He said this would 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,” Saxena said.

Terming the MoU as “historic,” the Lt 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 said talks are also going on to market Ladakhi apples abroad.

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 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. PTI TAS SKL MR

Apricot export expansion boosts Ladakh farmers through international market access, value addition and reduced post-harvest losses. Ladakh Administration signed an MoU with Lulu Retail, through APEDA and the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, to export at least 1,000 tonnes of Ladakhi apricots this season. The exporter will procure, pluck, sort, process, package, transport and market the produce in international markets while preserving the identity of Ladakh-origin apricots. The initiative is aimed at reducing post-harvest losses, improving value addition and providing farmers better pricing and direct market access.