Ladakh starts exporting apricots to the United Arab Emirates for the first time, with an inaugural shipment dispatched on Wednesday. According to reports, the initial consignment is about five metric tonnes and is sent from Ladakh Bhavan in New Delhi as part of an agreement signed earlier this year between the Ladakh administration and the UAE-based Lulu Group. Officials say the shipment marks the beginning of a larger export push aimed at scaling up fresh apricot sales during the current harvest season. Multiple outlets report that the agreement targets exports of more than 1,000 metric tonnes of apricots this season, a significant increase compared with the limited volumes shipped previously. One outlet contrasts the new target with past exports of roughly 1,500 kilograms over the last two years. The current dispatch is presented as the first consignment under the initiative, with the larger tonnage plan expected to follow as subsequent batches are shipped.