APEDA launches initiatives to popularise agricultural produce from Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh

The Agricultural and Processed Food stuff Goods Export Enhancement Authority (APEDA) has started a few initiatives to popularise some of the exceptional agricultural merchandise from the union territories of Jammu, Kashmir and Lakadh these kinds of as the fragrant rice selection Mushkbudji, Acacia honey and Kashmir valley apples.

Currently, industrial shipments of Ladakh Halman apricots from Leh to Dubai have started for the 1st time in the course of August-September, with the exports currently being taken care of by regional business people from Kargil.

A press release from the Commerce Ministry, under which APEDA functions, mentioned samples of Mushkbudji rice and Acacia honey had been despatched in August to Dubai, Oman and other West Asian marketplaces. Samples of apples generated in the Kashmir valley have also been despatched to the exact same marketplaces.

Regular provides of this deliver to West Asia will commence once the export value chain is set up, it mentioned.

APEDA, which has the mandate to encourage agricultural exports from the 3 union territories, has also taken the initiative to sensitise growers, exporters, federal government officials and other stakeholders on needs under the Countrywide Programme for Natural and organic Creation (NPOP). This is important for exports to select up.

This has resulted in Kashmir Saffron, a GI tag products, currently being delivered to Dubai and other West Asia marketplaces in the course of March-April this year and the Mishri selection of Kashmir valley cherries to Dubai in the course of June-July. The cherries are getting repeat export orders, the release mentioned.

Besides, products samples of seabuckthorn these kinds of as juice, pulp, concentrate, oil and herbal fusion tea had been supplied to Indian company food producers for development of merchandise for the domestic and abroad marketplaces past month. The merchandise may possibly acquire some time to start in the intercontinental food market place, the release mentioned.

APEDA sensitised officials of seed certification, the Directorate of Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies (SKUAST) of Srinagar and Jammu Regions for their convergence into the Natural and organic Certification Company under NPOP in the course of July 2021.

The authority signed memorandums of knowledge with Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies and Jammu & Kashmir Trade Promotion Organisation (JKTPO) for technical assistance and promotional functions, for enhancing efficiency and marketing of possible merchandise from the area.

The release mentioned looking at the possible and forthcoming want of export infrastructure for the area, APEDA took up the problem of in depth export logistics needs for the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Central Warehousing Company and other worried departments in July 2021 for development of customs clearance facility, smooth X-ray and managing of perishable commodities and issuance of Phytosanitary Certification facility at Jammu, Srinagar and Leh airports.

APEDA also organised digital customer-vendor meets in Jammu and Kashmir areas to deliver business enterprise enquiries and 34 stakeholders from Kashmir and twenty five stakeholders from Jammu participated in the satisfy.

APEDA has also created and supplied a draft Agri Export Strategy for the Kashmir valley and Jammu division, besides figuring out possible export merchandise these kinds of as apple, cherry, walnut, honey, saffron, rice and gucchi.

The union territory of Ladakh is in the approach of building an agri export system masking possible export merchandise these kinds of as seabuckthorn and apricots.

APEDA planned a stakeholders’ session involving start out-ups, business people, cooperatives, FPOs, FPCs, UT officials, worried officials from the agriculture university, KVKs, ICAR establishments to augment export of possible merchandise from the UT of Jammu and Kashmir in the course of September 2021, the release mentioned.

APEDA also co-organised a Vanijya Utsav in Leh in the course of September 21-22, where by conversations on linking merchandise from the union territory to the intercontinental market place had been held with the stakeholders, the release included.