SRINAGAR: The Union Territory of Ladakh is set to mark a significant milestone in its horticulture sector with the launch of its first fresh apricot export consignment to the United Arab Emirates on July 14 under the ambitious 1,000 metric tonne export initiative being implemented in partnership with Lulu Group.
The development was reviewed on Thursday by Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra, who chaired a high-level meeting to assess preparations for the initiative launched under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Lulu Group to facilitate exports of Ladakh’s premium fresh apricots to Dubai and other international markets.
Secretary, Agriculture and Horticulture, Bhupesh Chaudhary, presented a comprehensive implementation roadmap covering procurement, production planning, farmer participation, logistics, transportation, cold chain infrastructure and export operations.
The review focused on ensuring seamless procurement, grading, sorting, packaging, transportation and timely export of the fruit. Kundra sought detailed updates on the quantity of apricots being mobilised from production clusters across Leh and Kargil, transportation arrangements to Srinagar and Delhi, and the preparedness of aggregators managing 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 under the export programme. The Chief Secretary directed all stakeholders to ensure that the produce reaches Delhi within the stipulated timeline to avoid any disruption in the shipment schedule.
Kundra also reviewed quality control measures, including grading, sorting, rejection rates and compliance with export standards. He instructed departments and aggregators to minimise post-harvest losses through scientific handling practices and strict adherence to quality protocols.
Stressing the importance of transparency, he directed officials to ensure timely payments to farmers and aggregators while maintaining transparent procurement, certification and financial procedures.
The meeting also examined transportation plans from remote production areas, including Sarchu and Zanskar, with Kundra asking Deputy Commissioners and other agencies to closely monitor road conditions and prepare contingency plans to address any disruptions that could affect the movement of consignments to Srinagar and Delhi.
Preparedness of the five designated aggregators and the participating cooperative society was also reviewed, with emphasis on farmer outreach, procurement planning, production estimates and adherence to harvesting schedules.
The Chief Secretary further assessed the readiness of the cold chain infrastructure, including pre-cooling facilities, refrigerated transport and temperature maintenance protocols, describing uninterrupted cold chain management as essential for preserving fruit quality during transit.
Highlighting the branding potential of the initiative, Kundra directed that Ladakh’s identity should feature prominently on export packaging to strengthen the region’s reputation for premium-quality apricots in international markets. He also instructed officials to coordinate closely 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 and discussed inter-departmental coordination, including support from the Police Department for the smooth movement of refrigerated vehicles carrying the export shipments.
The initiative aims to export 1,000 metric tonnes of fresh apricots from Ladakh, opening access to international markets while providing higher returns to local growers and strengthening the region’s horticulture economy.
