Srinagar, Jul 18 (KNO): In another significant milestone for Jammu & Kashmir's horticulture sector, premium Areko cherries and Scentrose plums from the orchards of Shopian and Pulwama have made their debut in Singapore, marking the first-ever commercial shipment of these premium fruits to the Southeast Asian market.
The export, facilitated by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) in collaboration with exporters, growers and other stakeholders, reflects India's growing success in positioning Jammu & Kashmir as a reliable global source of high-quality temperate fruits.
According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the latest shipment builds upon the successful export of premium cherries and plums to Abu Dhabi and Dubai earlier this month, further expanding the international footprint of Kashmir's horticultural produce.
It also follows the successful promotion and export of locally grown cherries to Saudi Arabia and the UAE during the previous season, demonstrating the steadily rising global demand for fruits from the Valley.
The fruits were cultivated using scientific orchard management practices and harvested at optimum maturity to preserve their exceptional taste, colour, firmness and shelf life.
Before export, the consignment underwent rigorous grading, sorting, packaging and cold-chain handling in compliance with international food safety and phytosanitary standards.
Abhishek Dev, Chairman, APEDA, said the export reflects APEDA's continued commitment to creating sustainable global market opportunities for Indian farmers.
"APEDA is committed to enhancing India's global agricultural presence by opening new markets and strengthening existing ones. Jammu & Kashmir is rapidly emerging as a hub for premium temperate horticultural produce, and exports such as these demonstrate the immense potential of the region," he said.
Dev added, "Our focus is to connect farmers with premium international markets through better quality, modern infrastructure, robust cold-chain systems and strategic market promotion. We remain committed to ensuring that more products from the Himalayan region find a place on global retail shelves."
Sehreena Maqbool, Regional Head, APEDA Jammu & Kashmir, described the shipment as another important step in transforming the Union Territory into a globally recognised source of premium fresh fruits.
"This achievement is the result of the collective efforts of growers, exporters, government agencies and APEDA. Building on the successful shipments to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the Singapore market further validates the superior quality of Kashmir's cherries and plums," Sehreena said. "Our endeavour is to create sustainable export opportunities that deliver better price realisation to farmers while encouraging export-oriented production, modern post-harvest management and adherence to international quality standards."
The Regional Head said that APEDA will continue to work closely with stakeholders to strengthen export infrastructure, facilitate market access, build capacity among growers and promote Jammu & Kashmir's premium horticultural produce in new global destinations.
The successful export is expected to encourage more orchardists to adopt international quality standards and export-oriented cultivation practices, enabling them to access premium markets and improve farm incomes.
With sustained support in quality enhancement, logistics, cold-chain development and international market promotion, Jammu & Kashmir is steadily positioning itself as one of India's leading exporters of premium temperate fruits to Southeast Asia, the Gulf and European markets—(KNO)