SME Times News Bureau | 06 Jul, 2021
In
a step towards boosting horticultural crops exports, a first commercial
shipment of Mishri variety of luscious cherries from Kashmir valley has
been exported to Dubai from Srinagar.APEDA assisted the shipment of
cherries to Dubai by MS Desai Agri-Food Private Limited, a venture
company of MS Innoterra, Dubai.
Prior
to this shipment, a sample consignment was sent in the middle of June
2021 from Srinagar to Dubai through air which were transhiped from
Mumbai. Following an encouraging response from the consumers in Dubai,
the first commercial shipment of Mishri variety of cherries were
exported to Dubai.
Mishri
variety of Cherries are not only taste delicious but also contain
vitamins, minerals and plant compound with health benefits.
The
union territory of Jammu and Kashmir 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.
Prior
to the shipment, the cherries were harvested, cleaned and packed by
APEDA registered exporter while the technical inputs were provided by
the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology of
Kashmir.
APEDA-National
Referral Laboratory at National Research Centre for Grapes, Pune
provided support for ensuring food safety and quality in the shipment,
which would help create brand for cherries especially in the middle east
countries.
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 especiallyto middle east countries
in the forthcoming seasons.
APEDA
has been conducting interactions with farmers, Farmer Producer
Organizations (FPOs), government officials and other stakeholders for
boosting exports potential of agricultural produce from Kashmir such as
apples, almonds, walnuts, saffron, rice, fresh fruits and vegetables and
certified organic products.
Several
rounds of virtual awareness creation programme involving the local
producers, suppliers, FPOs and exporters from Kashmir are being
conducted for ensuring export of temperate fruits from the region.