In a step towards boosting horticultural crops exports, the first commercial shipment of Mishri variety of luscious cherries from Kashmir valley has been exported to Dubai from Srinagar. The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) assisted the shipment of cherries to Dubai by MS Desai Agri-Food Private Limited, a venture company of MS Innoterra, Dubai.
Last month a sample consignment was sent from Srinagar to Dubai, transhipped from Mumbai. Following a promising response from the consumers in Dubai, the first commercial shipment of the Mishri variety of cherries was exported to Dubai. The Mishri variety of Cherries not only taste delicious but also contains vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds with health benefits.
The union territory produces more than 95% of the total country’s production of commercial varieties of cherries in the country. It produces four varieties of cherry — Double, Makhmali, Mishri, and Italy.
The cherries are harvested, cleaned, and then packed by APEDA registered exporters while the technical inputs were provided by the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology of Kashmir.
To create a brand for cherries in the middle east countries, APEDA and National Referral Laboratory at National Research Centre for Grapes, Pune provides support for ensuring food safety and quality in the shipment. The commencement of commercial shipment of cherries would provide huge opportunities for exports of several temperate fruits like plums, pears, apricot, and apples from Kashmir to especially to middle east countries in the forthcoming seasons.
In order to boost the export potential of agricultural produce from Kashmir apples, almonds, walnuts, saffron, rice, fresh fruits and vegetables, and other certified organic products, APEDA has been conducting interactions with farmers, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), government officials, and other stakeholders. Several rounds of virtual awareness creation programs involving the local producers, suppliers, FPOs, and exporters from Kashmir are being conducted for ensuring the export of temperate fruits from the region.
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