Examiner Bureau | Leh:
The Union Territory of Ladakh is set to achieve a major milestone in its horticulture sector with the launch of its first fresh apricot export consignment to the United Arab Emirates on July 14 under an ambitious 1,000-metric tonne export programme being implemented in partnership with Lulu Group.
Preparations for the inaugural shipment were reviewed on Thursday by Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra, who chaired a high-level meeting to assess the implementation of the initiative launched under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ladakh Administration and Lulu Group to facilitate exports of the region’s premium fresh apricots to Dubai and other international markets.
Secretary, Agriculture and Horticulture, Bhupesh Chaudhary, presented a detailed implementation roadmap covering procurement, production planning, farmer participation, logistics, transportation, cold chain infrastructure and export operations.
The review focused on ensuring the smooth procurement, grading, sorting, packaging, transportation and timely export of the fruit. Kundra sought updates on the quantity of apricots being sourced from production clusters across Leh and Kargil, transportation arrangements to Srinagar and Delhi, and the preparedness of aggregators overseeing the supply chain.
Officials informed the meeting that a dedicated cargo aircraft is scheduled to depart from Delhi for the UAE on July 14 carrying the inaugural consignment. Kundra directed all stakeholders to ensure that the produce reaches Delhi on schedule to avoid any disruption to the shipment.
The Chief Secretary also reviewed quality control measures, including grading, sorting, rejection rates and compliance with international export standards. He instructed departments and aggregators to minimise post-harvest losses through scientific handling practices and strict adherence to quality protocols.
Emphasising transparency, Kundra directed officials to ensure timely payments to farmers and aggregators while maintaining transparent procurement, certification and financial procedures.
The meeting also reviewed transportation arrangements from remote production areas, including Sarchu and Zanskar. Kundra asked Deputy Commissioners and concerned agencies to closely monitor road conditions and prepare contingency plans to prevent disruptions in the movement of consignments to Srinagar and Delhi.
Preparedness of the five designated aggregators and the participating cooperative society was also assessed, with discussions focusing on farmer outreach, procurement planning, production estimates and adherence to harvesting schedules.
Kundra further reviewed the readiness of the cold chain infrastructure, including pre-cooling facilities, refrigerated transport and temperature management, stressing that uninterrupted cold chain operations are essential to preserving fruit quality during transit.
Highlighting the branding potential of the initiative, he directed officials to prominently feature Ladakh’s identity on export packaging to strengthen the region’s reputation as a producer of premium-quality apricots in international markets. He also called for close coordination with Fair Exports, Lulu Group and other stakeholders to ensure compliance with packaging, branding and quality specifications.
The meeting additionally reviewed arrangements for the flagging off of the inaugural consignment on July 14, including inter-departmental coordination and support from the Police Department to facilitate the smooth movement of refrigerated vehicles carrying the export shipment.
The 1,000-metric tonne export initiative is expected to provide Ladakh’s apricot growers with access to international markets, enhance farm incomes and further strengthen the Union Territory’s horticulture economy.
