New Delhi, July 16 (IANS) Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said that the export of first shipment of 5 metric tonnes of organic apricots from Ladakh to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is yet another example of domestic food products gaining global recognition.

In a post on social media platform X, the minister said that over the past few months, thanks to the efforts of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), farmers across the country have been gaining better prices for their produce and new access to global markets.

“The export of the first shipment of 5 metric tonnes of organic apricots from Ladakh to the UAE is yet another powerful example of this,” said Goyal.

This initiative will play a crucial role in giving Indian organic products international recognition, increasing farmers’ incomes, and creating new opportunities for sustainable livelihoods, the minister noted.

Last week, APEDA facilitated the export of two metric tonnes (MT) of Amrapali mangoes, sourced from women-led farmer producer companies in Jharkhand’s tribal areas, to Dubai.

The consignment was exported by Fair Exports (India) for retail distribution across Lulu stores in Dubai, marking another milestone in promoting exports from tribal and women-led farmer collectives.

The export delivered significant economic benefits to the participating farmers, with members of the women-led FPCs realising nearly 180 per cent higher returns than prevailing local market prices, according to an official statement.

Earlier this month, APEDA facilitated the first export shipment of premium Areko cherries and Scentrose plums from Jammu and Kashmir to the UAE, a significant milestone in expanding the global footprint of the Union Territory’s high-value horticultural produce.

The inaugural consignment — comprising one metric tonne of premium stone fruits sourced from farmers in Shopian and Pulwama districts — was virtually flagged off by APEDA Chairman Abhishek Dev for Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The export highlights the growing international demand for premium Indian fruits and underscores the export potential of Jammu and Kashmir’s horticulture sector.

–IANS

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