Seabuckthorn can boost Ladakh’s economy, generate livelihoods: CEC Dr Jaffer Akhoon

Kargil dispatches 20 tonnes of Seabuckthorn Pulp to Delhi

KARGIL: Local agro-processing initiatives centred on Ladakh’s indigenous produce can strengthen the regional economy, support farmers and generate sustainable livelihood opportunities, Chairman and Chief Executive Councillor (CEC) of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Kargil, Dr Mohd Jaffer Akhoon, said on Monday while flagging off a consignment of 20 metric tonnes of seabuckthorn pulp bound for Delhi.

Rabbani Agri Processing Unit, based in Sankoo, dispatched the consignment in collaboration with Well with India Pvt. Ltd., Delhi. The shipment marks the unit’s final consignment of seabuckthorn pulp to the national capital.

Flagging off the consignment from the Council Secretariat in Kargil, Dr Akhoon appreciated Rabbani Agri Processing Unit co-founder Mohamed Hassan for his efforts to promote local produce and strengthen the agro-processing sector in the district.

He urged local entrepreneurs to explore new markets, adopt value-addition practices and make greater use of the region’s natural resources to develop commercially viable enterprises and create employment opportunities for local communities.

Dr Akhoon emphasised that processing locally sourced produce and connecting it with markets beyond Ladakh could support farmers, strengthen the regional economy and expand the reach of the Union Territory’s indigenous products.

The dispatch highlights the potential of seabuckthorn processing to add value to local produce and strengthen market linkages for enterprises in Ladakh.

Executive Councillor LAHDC Kargil, in-charge of Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) and Public Health Engineering (PHE), Altaf Hussain, was also present during the flag-off ceremony.

The initiative underscores the role of local enterprises in expanding market access for Ladakh’s indigenous produce through agro-processing and value addition.