Export of Apricots from Ladakh to the UAE

14-Jul-2026 08:50 PM

New Delhi. Preparations are complete to begin exporting premium-quality apricots produced in the Union Territory of Ladakh to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the first consignment is set to be flagged off tomorrow, July 15, 2026, from Ladakh Bhawan in New Delhi.

Ladakh's Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena is scheduled to flag off the season's first export consignment of 'Halman' apricots produced in the Kargil region. The apricot is a premium horticultural product of Ladakh's Kargil division.

According to senior official sources, the initial consignment of 5 tonnes of apricots will be dispatched from Ladakh Bhawan, New Delhi, to the UAE. Although the shipment was originally scheduled for July 14, a decision was subsequently made to postpone it by one day.

It is noteworthy that an agreement was signed months ago between the Ladakh administration and a renowned UAE-based establishment—which operates the largest hypermarket network in the Middle East—for the export of 1,000 tonnes of Ladakhi apricots during the current season.

At that time, the crop was not yet ready for harvest. Last year, only 1.50 tonnes of Halman apricots were exported to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar; in contrast, this year has commenced with a 5-tonne shipment, with the potential to reach a total of 1,000 tonnes for the UAE alone. Exports to other countries are also anticipated.