Description
Ladakhi Apricot , locally known as “chulli,” is one of the most nutritive and delicious fruit crop of Ladakh. It has a wide range of distribution in different parts of Ladakh with particularly abundance in Sham areas (lower Ladakh) including Dha-Hanu, Garkhon, Skurbuchan, Domkhar, Wanla, Khaltse and Timosgang.
There are many varieties of apricot grown in Ladakh, which differ from one another in taste (sweet, bitter, sour), size, shape and physical appearance. Pahari corner offers you varieties like Halman, Laktse-karpo, Safaida, Khanteh etc. Halman and Laktse-karpo are the most preferred one for Health purpose. Both, the fruit and kernel of apricot is believed to be highly nutritive and consumed as either fresh or dried. And Pahari corner believes in offering healthy as well fresh fruits to their consumers. These fruits are known to possess a good amount of vitamin-A, vitamin-C, potassium, calcium, iron, carbohydrate, amino acids and sugars. Apricot has been consumed by the people of Ladakh for decades. It has became an integral part of the traditional culture of people here. Local people serve dried or fresh apricot as an excellent dessert, particularly on traditional festival occasions. During the chilly winters, when people prefer to remain indoor, dried apricot fruits make an excellent eatable that compensates the long cold winter and Pahari Corner is offering you the same experience without any compromises.
We talked with the people of entire Ladakh, and we found that most of the farmer dont get the business opportunities which they deserve , we had conversation with multiple farmers and they decided to share their best quality product with Pahari Corner. So here we are trying to give them an opportunity through which they can achieve full potential of their products. They have one of the best and oldest method of fruit preservation and storage by open sun drying. The local people, particularly women and children, collect the fully ripend apricot in a large traditional basket (locally known as Tsepo) and wash them under running water to remove the dusts, and then spread on the roof top for drying under open sun light. The fruit are dried either as whole fruit (locally known as Fating) or seed are separated before drying, and the dried fruit without seed are called Chulli skampo. During the sun drying process, the fruit loses its natural colour and turns dark brown. This is the major drawback of traditional method of sun drying in Ladakh. However, at present, the Ladakhi farmers have adapted several improved methods of drying including treatment with sulphurdioxide and use of polyhouse apricot drier. These methods are believed to reduce or prevent the browning of fruits.
Pahari Corner have provided a platform to the farmers which were out of picture. Farmers which don’t produce on mass scale but produce good quality products. They all have agreed to share their authentic product with us and Pahari Corner agreed to help them to establish a very well market for thier products with quality and authenticity.