Apricot blossom festival is a vibrant celebration in Ladakh region during which Ladakh Tourism invites people to join the festivities holding immense cultural significance. The festival aims to share the local tradition of apricot blossoms with outsiders through food, music, shopping, games, and dances.
This year also, from April 6 to April 18, the festival will be held in Leh and Kargil districts featuring daylong celebrations where people gather, trade products and enjoy cultural shows highlighting Ladakh’s rich culture and heritage.
Apricot, also known as chuli, takes center stage during this festival as Ladakhis rejoice in the beauty of nature. Tourists visiting Ladakh during this time can immerse themselves in local cultural programs, exhibitions, and the enchanting experience of apricot trees in bloom.
Last year, in a historic move, Ladakh marked significant strides in the horticulture sector by exporting 31 tonnes of its renowned Halman variety of apricots.
Apricot is the lone produce in Ladakh and found in both Kargil and Leh districts. Kargil town, located equidistant from Srinagar and Leh, is gateway to frontier Ladakh famous for its apricot production which is mostly transported to Kashmir through Zojila pass.
The apricots, renowned for their sweet taste, are initially harvested, dried, and transported beyond the region. The dry fruit is also available for sale in Kargil’s Lal Chowk.
Muhammad Ali, an apricot grower hailing from Gargardo village of Kargil said they have at least 20 apricot trees and they are associated with apricot farming for a long time.
He is among many farmers in Kargil market who are dependent on apricot business and make their livelihood out of it.
In 2021, for the first time the apricots from Kargil found their way to international markets after a consignment of 150 kg of fresh apricots was sent to Dubai from Kargil.
Apricots are the main fruit trees widely grown and are highly perishable within the short summer season. Therefore, fresh fruits need transportation soon after harvesting.
M Abdullah, an apricot vendor, has been selling apricots in Kargil’s Lal Chowk market and has been associated with the business for ten years. He sells different varieties of apricots throughout the day in the busy market and apricot business is the only source of income for him.
Abdullah, who owns a small apricot orchard in their village at Goma Minjee, is among dozens of vendors and shopkeepers in Kargil market who have been selling apricots here for decades.
“Over the years the prices of apricot have gone up due to the export. Otherwise, the rates were very less compared to previous years. It has really encouraged the farmers,” he said. “We are hopeful that more apricots get exported outside Ladakh which would be a sort of healing touch for the farmers,” he said.
Harvesting is done by collecting apricots from trees manually in August. However, due to the introduction of harvesting, net picking of fruits has been made easy but it is laborious.
According to official figures, Kargil district comprises 129 villages, with only 64 villages engaged in fruit cultivation. Among these, approximately 10-15 villages produce a significant quantity of apricots.
The places which are rich in apricot production in Kargil include Gargardo, Darchiks, Chulichan, Batalik, Garkone, Shilikchay, Hardass, Karkitcho, Chanigund.
On the other hand, apricot kernel (seed of an apricot, which is located within the fruit‘s endocarp) is also famous not only in Ladakh but in Kashmir as well. The kernel is processed to extract oil, which is an economically significant by-product of fruit processing.
Experts said Kargil started sending apricot produce to Srinagar in 1986. In 2006, govt. allotted 4 kanals of land in Kargil and installed machinery for drying of apricots.
In India, for decades, the people have consumed it. A part of local culture, dry and fresh apricots are served as desserts, particularly during traditional festivals and functions. Many people here send apricots as a gift to their friends and family members outside the region.
Packed with vitamins but low on calories, Yakpha Karpo (as these apricots are known) is also rich in Sorbitol – a natural glucose substitute that can be consumed by diabetics. And that’s not all, the oil from its seed is known to relieve backaches and joint pain.
In December 2022, Raktsey Karpo apricot variety of Ladakh got its first ever Geographical Indication (GI) for twenty years. Raktsey Karpo variety is unique to Ladakh although it grows more than thirty types of Apricots. This Ladakh exclusive apricot variety is matchless in sweetness and colorful with white Kernel.
Among the other nine fruits grown in Ladakh, apricot is a significant fruit with large cultivation in both the Leh and Kargil Districts. Additionally, apricot is being promoted as One District One Product for Kargil.
