Piyush Goyal highlights Ladakh's sea buckthorn as 'Ladakh Gold

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal has highlighted the potential of GI-tagged sea buckthorn from Ladakh, referring to it as ‘Ladakh Gold’. Describing the fruit as a ‘superfruit’ and a ‘golden treasure of India’s natural heritage’, Goyal noted its exceptional nutritional value, including vitamin C levels ten times higher than those found in lemons.

The fruit grows at altitudes of approximately 12,000 feet in the unique climate of Ladakh. Goyal emphasized that the cultivation and sale of sea buckthorn have the capacity to empower local communities by strengthening their livelihoods and promoting global health through its high antioxidant content.

In a separate development, the Minister also flagged off the first shipment of JCB machines manufactured in Pune destined for New Zealand, noting that the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement is creating new opportunities for the manufacturing sector.