Sea buckthorn products like jams, juices, herbal tea, vitamin C supplements, healthy drinks will provide employment opportunities to the youth of Ladakh: Dr Jitendra Singh
Lt. Governor Ladakh R.K. Mathur recently met Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh and thanked the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) under the aegis of Union Ministry of Science & Technology for promoting “Leh Berry” which is an exclusive food product of the cold desert and also a means of wide-ranging entrepreneurship as well as self-livelihood.
The Minister informed the LG that CSIR, in collaboration of UT Govt of Ladakh, will start commercial cultivation of sea buckthorn berry from coming spring season in Ladakh. He said, CSIR will also develop harvesting machinery to be used by local farmers and self-help groups, as currently only 10% of berry is being extracted from the wild sea buckthorn plant.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that local entrepreneurs will be provided gainful employment through farming, processing and marketing of about 100 odd products from sea buckthorn plant like jams, juices, herbal tea, vitamin C supplements, healthy drinks, cream, oils, and soaps in a completely organic manner. He said, this immunity boosting natural berry is getting increasingly popularized not only in India, but also in great demand in foreign countries for its medicinal value.