Seabuckthorn Conference to push value addition, branding and global market linkages

LEH: Ladakh is set to hold a two-day Seabuckthorn Conference on September 18 and 19, with the UT Administration seeking to turn the region’s naturally abundant seabuckthorn resource into a stronger value-added industry benefiting local producers, entrepreneurs and the wider rural economy.

Administrative Secretary, Industries and Commerce, Himanshu Gupta, reviewed preparations for the conference at a meeting here on Wednesday, emphasising that the event should go beyond deliberations and produce concrete, actionable measures for strengthening Ladakh’s seabuckthorn value chain.

The conference, being organised by the Industries Department in collaboration with the Horticulture Department during the peak harvesting season, will focus on cultivation, processing, product development, value addition, branding and market access. The administration also plans to bring specialised expertise from outside Ladakh and explore participation of international experts, including potential speakers from Mongolia.

A key thrust of the conference will be to connect Ladakh’s seabuckthorn sector with larger processing and marketing opportunities. The Industries Department has been asked to explore support and convergence with national agencies, including the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) and the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), particularly for value addition and market promotion.

Gupta directed officials to finalise the venue and programme at the earliest and ensure that all logistical and financial requirements, including expert participation and event management, are worked out in advance. The administration also plans to engage a professional event-management agency through a transparent quotation or bidding process.

The emphasis on processing, branding and market linkages is significant as the conference is being positioned not merely as a platform for showcasing seabuckthorn but as an effort to develop a more organised commercial ecosystem around the crop. The administration wants the deliberations to translate into practical recommendations that can improve product development, entrepreneurship and access to wider domestic and international markets.

The Industries and Horticulture departments, along with the Office of the Chief Secretary, have been tasked with close coordination to complete preparations for the September conference.