After lifting 50-year export ban, first consignment of Ladakh Apricot exported to Dubai

Ladakh, Sept 3: In a major boost to agricultural products, a consignment of 150 kg Raktsey Karpo, the sweetest apricot, was sent to an international market in Dubai. Apricot is the primary cash crop for the farmers of Kargil and its export to different states and foreign countries will provide a major boost to the local farmers.

 

According to the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), nearly 62 per cent of India’s apricots are produced in Ladakh. The consignment of Apricot was transhipped from Leh, Ladakh to Mumbai prior to being exported to Dubai. APEDA has been working to establish an export value chain for Ladakh Apricot in association with an importer Group based in Dubai. The shipment was exported by APEDA registered Exporter from Mumbai.

 

This export of Ladakh Apricots opens up the potential of shipments of other temperate fruits and organic products from the region to Middle-east countries. There have been repeating orders for shipment of Ladakh Apricots to various other destinations of Middle Eastern countries such as Oman and Qatar.

 

The export of fresh apricot outside Ladakh was “banned” and the resumption of export marks an important milestone for Kargil apricot growers. According to the reports, the ban on the export of fresh fruit including apricot from the Ladakh region was imposed on an assumption that due to the codling moth (Cydia pomonella) emerging on apricot, its export will pose danger to fresh fruit in J&K and outside.

 

 

Experts say in India codling moth was restricted to the cold arid region of Ladakh and it was supposed to have entered Ladakh from North-Western Frontier Provence of Pakistan and Afghanistan. The then government in 1974 to avoid the spread of codling moth to apple growing areas especially Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir restricted marketing and supply of apricot produce from the Ladakh region under J&K Pest and disease act.

 

The ban on the export of fresh fruit from Ladakh was imposed based on an assumption and over the years no effort was made to lift the ban despite our regular appeals to relook at it. Later, in January this year, the Executive Councilor (EC) Agriculture, LAHDC Kargil Mohd Ali, met Director General Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Dr Trilochan Mohapatra, at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi, and sought lifting of the ban on export fresh fruits from Ladakh to the rest of the country.

 

He had said the export ban not only limits area expansion under temperate fruits but also makes them weaker economically, as, at present, the district Kargil is leading in the production of Apricot with 9033 MT annually from about 16 sq km cultivated area.

 

 

Ladakh Apricots have a unique soothing taste and texture with high sugar contents and total soluble solids. UT of Ladakh produces several varieties of Apricots out of which four to five varieties are taken up for commercial cultivation and export opportunities exist for these varieties.

 

For giving boost to exports of agricultural produce from Ladakh, which would enhance farmers’ as well as entrepreneurs’ income, APEDA in association with officials of the horticulture, agriculture, commerce and industry departments of Union Territory and Defence Institute of High-Altitude Research are working out comprehensive plan of actions.