LEH: In a major boost to Ladakh’s horticulture sector, Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Wednesday flagged off the first export consignment of five metric tonnes of premium fresh apricots to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), marking the beginning of the region’s largest-ever fresh apricot export programme.
The export has been facilitated under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in April 2026 between the Ladakh Administration and UAE-based Lulu Retail through the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). The agreement envisages the export of more than 1,000 metric tonnes of fresh apricots during the current harvest season.
Officials said the initiative represents a significant jump from the approximately 1,500 kilograms of apricots exported over the previous two years and is expected to substantially enhance farmers’ incomes by providing direct access to international markets.
To preserve the quality of the highly perishable fruit, the Ladakh Administration, with support from CONCOR, has arranged cold-chain transportation, ensuring that the apricots are transported at temperatures between 0°C and 4°C to maintain freshness throughout the journey.
The export programme focuses on Ladakh’s indigenous Raktsey Karpo and Halman apricot varieties, renowned for their sweetness, rich flavour, nutritional value and organic cultivation under the region’s high-altitude climatic conditions.
Speaking on the occasion, Saxena described the export as a historic milestone for Ladakh’s horticulture sector, saying it marks the beginning of the region’s journey towards becoming a global horticulture export hub.
He said the initiative would provide local farmers with direct access to international markets, ensure better and remunerative prices for their produce, reduce post-harvest losses and significantly improve their livelihoods.
Under the new arrangement with Lulu Retail, farmers will hand over their orchards for harvesting, after which the company will undertake the entire value chain, including plucking, sorting, grading, packaging and transportation for export, reducing the burden on growers and minimising losses.
The Lieutenant Governor expressed confidence that the initiative would open new market opportunities, encourage greater investment in horticulture and establish Ladakh as one of India’s leading exporters of premium-quality horticultural produce.
