Singapore has received its first shipment of cherries and plums from Jammu and Kashmir, marking another milestone in India’s expanding agricultural exports….reports Asian Lite News Desk
Singapore’s High Commissioner to India, Simon Wong, on Friday welcomed the arrival of the first shipment of cherries and plums from Jammu and Kashmir to Singapore, describing it as another step forward in agricultural trade between the two countries.
In a post on X, Wong wrote, “Following Litchis and mangoes, Singapore is finally getting its first taste of cherries and plums from #Jammu #Kashmir. Thank you @APEDADOC and Hon’ble @CM_JnK. We want MORE!”
The High Commissioner thanked the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for facilitating the export of the fruits.
The shipment adds to a series of recent agricultural export milestones highlighted by the Government of India as it seeks to expand the global reach of Indian farm produce.
Earlier this week, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said India’s agricultural and processed food exports are entering new international markets, helping farmers secure higher returns while strengthening the country’s export footprint.
In a social media post on July 13, Goyal said Indian agricultural products were increasingly finding acceptance across global markets.
“India’s exports are on a roll. From local farms to international shelves, India’s finest flavours are winning hearts worldwide,” the minister said.
He highlighted that fresh Amrapali mangoes from Jharkhand had made their international debut in the United Kingdom and Dubai. According to the minister, the mangoes were produced by an all-women farmer producer company, enabling women farmers to earn 180 per cent higher returns.
Goyal also said botanical-infused millet functional foods from Karnataka had been exported to New Zealand, reflecting growing international demand for India’s traditional millet-based products.
The minister noted that premium Areco cherries and Centros plums from Jammu and Kashmir had reached Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, allowing farmers to earn up to 120 per cent higher returns.
He further said Himalayan litchis from Uttarakhand had been exported to Italy for the first time, opening a new overseas market for growers in the state.
Fresh litchis from Punjab also entered the Oman market under the India-Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), while GI-tagged Tezpur litchi from Assam was exported to Dubai, fetching premium prices for growers, according to the minister.
Goyal added that the GI-tagged Rewa Sundarja mango from Madhya Pradesh had been exported to the UAE, with farmers receiving around 40 to 50 per cent higher prices than those available in domestic markets.
He also highlighted the first sea shipment of premium Banganapalli mangoes from Andhra Pradesh to Singapore, describing it as an indication of the growing acceptance of Indian fruits in international markets.
“From the farms of Assam to the orchards of Kashmir, from Varanasi’s food industry to Karnataka’s millet innovators, the world is embracing the taste of India,” the minister noted.
The latest consignment of cherries and plums to Singapore is expected to further strengthen agricultural trade between India and Singapore while creating additional export opportunities for fruit growers in Jammu and Kashmir.
