The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is promoting sea buckthorn berry also known as “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 value addition of this agriculture product has potential to revolutionize the economic scenario of the newly created Union Territory.
- CSIR, in collaboration of UT Govt of Ladakh, will start commercial cultivation of sea buckthorn berry from coming spring season in Ladakh.
About Sea Buckthorn
- The sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) is a deciduous shrub belongs to the family Elaegnaceae.
- The shrub has a vast area of natural growth in temperate regions of the world mainly in Mongolia, China, Tibet, Russia, Canada, India, Pakistan, and Nepal.
- The plant is hardy and it can withstand extreme temperatures from -43ºC to 40ºC and it is considered to be drought tolerant.
- Seabuckthorn berries are among the most nutritious of all fruits.
- Fruit juice is rich in sugar, organic acids, amino acids, essential fatty acids, phytosterol, flavonoids, vitamins and mineral elements.
- The plant is known as a remedy for horses.
- Ladakh remains the major site for natural Seabuckthorn resource with over 70% of the total area (13,000 ha) under Seabuckthorn in the country.
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