Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena flags off first 5-tonne consignment of Ladakh’s organic apricots to the UAE, in Leh.
| Photo Credit:
PTI
A 5-tonne shipment of premium Halman apricots from Ladakh’s Himalayan cold desert was flagged off for the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday under an export agreement with retail giant LuLu Group, marking a major step in the region’s efforts to expand overseas markets for its high-value horticultural produce.
Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena flagged off the shipment from New Delhi.
“The consignment from Kargil to Delhi had been shipped by road”, said an official.
Launching the consignment, Saxena said the administration aims to export more than 1,000 tonnes of apricots this season, up sharply from a combined 1,500 kilograms exported over the previous two years.
The exports are being facilitated through a memorandum of understanding with LuLu Group, giving apricot growers in the Himalayan region direct access to international markets.
Saxena said the initiative would help raise farmers’ incomes, reduce post-harvest losses and strengthen Ladakh’s horticulture sector.
He said the programme was in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Vocal for Local” and “Local to Global” initiatives aimed at promoting Indian produce in overseas markets.
The shipment follows an agreement signed in April between the Ladakh administration and UAE-based Lulu Retail, one of the West Asia’s largest hypermarket operators, to export 1,000 tonnes of Ladakhi apricots during the current season.
Last year, 1.5 tonnes of premium Halman apricots were shipped to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar.
Apricots are among Ladakh’s most important horticultural crops, providing livelihoods to over 30,000 farming families. The fruit is cultivated across nearly 2,600 hectares, with annual production estimated at about 15,868 tonnes. The region is also India’s largest producer of dried apricots, accounting for close to 1,999 tonnes each year.
Officials said the export programme is expected to strengthen the region’s agricultural value chain and position Ladakh as a supplier of premium organic fruit in international markets.
Published on July 15, 2026
