The Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar said that the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) facilitated the sample export of Kargil apple to Middle Eastern countries and sun-dried apricots to Singapore by start-up companies for establishing export chain for the products of UT Ladakh to enter in the international market.
Member of Parliament, Ladakh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal questioned the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar about the initiatives undertaken by the government to promote and export agro-based products from the UT Ladakh.
In response, the Minister stated the various initiatives taken by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) for exporting agro-based products from the region. He informed that APEDA had established its office in the Department of Industries and Commerce, Leh, UT Ladakh. The Minister shared that APEDA has identified the export-potential products and shared the draft Agri export plan for the potential products, such as sea-buckthorn, apricots and certified organic products.
He further added that the APEDA officials conducted field visits and interaction sessions with the stakeholders and entrepreneurs of agro-based products. Similarly, product samples of sea buckthorn, such as juice, pulp, seed oil and herbal fusion tea were obtained and provided to Indian corporate food producers for the development of the products for domestic as well as overseas markets.
Moreover, a centrally sponsored Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme is being implemented by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries for providing financial, technical and business support for the up-gradation of micro food processing enterprises in the country, including Ladakh. The Minister added that the scheme has adopted the One District One Product (ODOP) approach to reap the benefit of scale in terms of procurement of inputs, availing common services and marketing of products.
The Minister also shared that under ODOP, sea-buckthorn and apricots are identified for Leh and Kargil district respectively.
