Lok Sabha Question No. 109 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-01-29
Subject: Sea Buckthorn Processing Unit at Chushot and Leh
Ministry: FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
Asked by: Shri Mohmad Haneefa

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 109 ANSWERED ON 29 TH  JANUARY, 2026

## SEA BUCKTHORN PROCESSING UNIT AT CHUSHOT AND LEH

## 109. SHRI MOHMAD HANEEFA:

Will the Minister of FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware that the Sea Buckthorn Processing Unit at Chushot, Leh and the Apricot Processing Unit at Chanigound, Kargil are still pending completion despite their strategic importance for horticulture-based livelihoods in Ladakh and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the present status of civil works, machinery installation and commissioning of both the units, along with reasons for the delay, if any;
- (c) whether the Government recognizes that these processing units are vital for value addition amid high post-harvest losses for Sea Buckthorn and perishable Kargil apricots and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the  concrete  steps  being  taken  by  the  Government  to  expedite  the  completion  and operationalisation of these units so as to enable value addition, reduce farmers' losses, and generate  sustainable  income  for  local  farmers,  women  self-help  groups  and  youth-led enterprises in Ladakh?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES (SHRI RAVNEET SINGH)

(a)  to  (d): Under  the  Pradhan  Mantri  Formalisation  of  Micro  food  processing  Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme, the proposals for Sea Buckthorn Processing Unit at Chushot, Leh and Apricot Processing  Unit  at  Chanigound,  Kargil  have  been  approved  for  establishment  of  Incubation Centres. The  proposals  have  been  approved  in  March,  2024  and  are  supported  through  100% Central Government Grant-in-Aid (GIA ) with a total grant of ₹5.50 crore.  These 2 Incubation Centres are to be implemented by the Union Territory Administration of Ladakh.

The  Council  of  Scientific  and  Industrial  Research  -  Institute  of  Himalayan  Bioresource Technology  (CSIR-IHBT),  Palampur,  Himachal  Pradesh,  has  been  designated  by  the  UT Government as the Mentor Institute for these projects. Based on the site assessment conducted by the Mentor Institute, the identified facility was found unsuitable for installation of the processing lines. Consequently, the Union Territory Administration of Ladakh has identified an alternative location  and  has  submitted  a  revised  Detailed  Project  Report  (DPR)  to  the  Public  Works Department.

The government is regularly reviewing with the Union Territory Administration of Ladakh to monitor progress and address implementation-related issues.

Under the Incubation Centre component of PMFME Scheme, support is provided to microentrepreneurs, Self Help Groups (SHGs) and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) with access to food processing infrastructure without capital investment. Each centre has 3-5 processing lines for ODOP and allied products and operates on a custom hiring basis. The incubation centres are aimed at addressing critical infrastructure gaps for value addition of Sea Buckthorn in Leh and apricots in Kargil, crops that are prone to significant post-harvest losses due to limited processing capacity. Establishment of these units will help in reducing wastage, generating direct and indirect employment, and promoting entrepreneurship, with focused support for women SHGs and youthled enterprises through training and mentoring under the Incubation Centre framework

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