Leh, April 16 -- Ladakh's famed apricots, known for their rich sweetness and distinct flavour, are poised to enter global markets in a major way this season. In a first for the Union Territory, the administration has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Lulu International to export 1,000 metric tonnes (MT) of apricots-marking a sharp rise from just 1,500 kg exported over the past two years.
The initiative follows a push by Lt. Governor VK Saxena to promote the branding and export of Ladakh's GI-tagged "Raktsey Karpo" and the region-specific "Halman" varieties. The MoU was formalised through the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and the Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries. It was signed by Secretary (Horticulture) Bhupesh Chaudhary and Lulu Group's Global Operations Director Salim MA in the presence of Saxena.
Under the agreement, Lulu International will procure at least 1,000 MT of apricots directly from farmers, handling harvesting, sorting, processing, packaging, transportation and global marketing while preserving Ladakh's product identity.
Currently, farmers rely on traditional post-harvest practices, often leading to significant losses. The new arrangement is expected to reduce wastage and ensure better price realization.
Calling the MoU "historic," Saxena said it would unlock Ladakh's untapped horticulture potential, strengthen its global recognition and deliver direct economic benefits to farmers. He also indicated ongoing efforts to promote Ladakhi apples internationally.
The Lt. Governor emphasized the need for local processing infrastructure and announced plans for a dedicated e-commerce platform to provide farmers direct market access.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.