A meeting regarding production and value addition of Sea Buckthorn was convened by Advisor to LG Ladakh, Umang Narula on September 24 in Leh.
 
Commissioner/Secretary Agriculture, Horticulture Department Ladakh, Secretary Industries & Commerce Department Ladakh, Secretary, Cooperatives Department Ladakh, Deputy Commissioner, Leh/Kargil, Director, Industries & Commerce Ladakh, Director Horticulture Ladakh, Director DIHAR, and district level officers of Industries, horticulture & Cooperatives, department were present in the meeting.
 
Secretary, Industries & Commerce Ladakh, Saugat Biswas gave a detailed presentation regarding Seabuckthorn: Value & Financial Analysis and Methods to improve its harvesting.
 
Nearly 600 MT of Sea Buckthorn is being harvested in Ladakh, which is around only 5% of the total produce available in Ladakh. The requirement of modern techniques to harvest the sea buckthorn was discussed in the meeting.
 
Director DIHAR was assigned the work to carry out a realistic data survey to update the actual availability of sea buckthorn in Ladakh, based upon which the future interventions and plans will be formulated.
 
Advisor Narula stressed the Industries & Commerce Department to hold a conclave on sea buckthorn, where various companies may be invited. He stressed the department to explore possibilities of selling the harvest through the e-market.
 
With the aim of increasing the harvesting of sea buckthorn by way of the introduction of modern techniques, Advisor Narula urged Director DIHAR to submit a report regarding various machinery equipment and tools used around the globe for the harvesting of sea buckthorn. Based upon its study, DIHAR shall suggest the UT Administration the best Machinery Equipments & tools for the harvesting of sea buckthorn. 
 
Narula also stressed the need for an Incentive Policy by way of which the latest machinery, tools and equipment may be distributed to the potential farmers at subsidized rates. Horticulture Department was asked to work upon the proposal in consultation with the Industries & Commerce Department.
 
It was informed that a project namely, “Centre of Excellence for Sea Buckthorn & temperate Fruits (like Apricot)” at Horticulture Departmental Farm Nimmo, Leh is under execution. The Advisor directed the Horticulture department to complete the project within the prescribed timeline of the project. It was directed that the plantation of sea
buckthorn in the COE project should be completed by March 2021 for the creation of a model sea buckthorn Orchard and Nursery.
 
With the aim to attract the entrepreneurs to Sea Buckthorn Industry, he directed the Horticulture department to prepare model orchards in the existing plantation areas by selecting patches of optimum size in different locations of Ladakh in consultation with DIHAR. Such orchards may
be developed by creating necessary pathways etc.
 
He further directed the Horticulture department to prepare a report which shall include the cost analysis for the development of such model Orchards.
 
A UT level apex committee will be constituted under the Industries & Commerce department to ensure synergetic decisions for the promotion and development of sea buckthorn industry.