‘Raktsey Karpo’: In a first, Ladakh apricot gets GI tag

Srinagar, Dec 15: Cold desert of Ladakh is on a high after its famed apricot was granted  Geographical Identification (GI) tag.

Apricots of Trans-Himalayan Ladakh are known for their quality as the region has not witnessed the introduction of cultivars from outside the UT. The gene pool is maintained due to geographical isolation and the natural high mountain barrier.

Two years after the first application was made to the central government, the region’s native “Raktsey Karpo” apricot got the GI tag. A GI is tagged to primarily agricultural, natural, or manufactured products, handicrafts, and industrial goods originating from a definite geographical territory.

Speaking exclusively to The Kashmir Monitor, Senior Scientist at the Defense Institute of High Altitude Research (DIHAR), Leh, Dr. Tsering Stobdan who has worked extensively on Ladakh apricots said the tag will hugely benefit the farmers in the region.

“Ladakh is the biggest apricot producer in India. With a total production of 15,789 tonnes per year, it accounts for 62 percent of the apricot production in the country. Earlier, the bulk of apricot produced was consumed locally with a small quantity of dried apricot sold outside. As a result, the farmers incurred huge losses as 50 percent of it was wasted. After it became UT, the apricot production was exported outside the region for the first time in 2021,” he said.

He said with the introduction of the GI tag, the popularity and production is expected to increase. “The native apricot genotypes of Ladakh such as Rakstey Karpo apricots have a white seed coat which is not reported from anywhere else in the world except Ladakh. It is most preferred by consumers for fresh consumption. Also, Rakstey Karpo contains significantly higher sorbitol than fruits with a brown coat,” he said.

He noted that the high altitude environmental conditions contribute to the sweetness of the apricot in this region.

“Also, apricots of Ladakh are late maturing. The fruits are harvested between mid-July and early September.  For every 100 m increase in elevation, fruit ripening is delayed by 7.1 days. Therefore, apricots of Ladakh have a comparative advantage as it does not coincide with the main apricot season in the market,” Dr. Stobdan said.