J&K govt inks pact with LuLu group to set up food processing, logistics hub

The Jammu and Kashmir government has signed an MoU with Dubai-based Lulu group to set up a food processing and logistics hub in Srinagar, officials said.

The Jammu and Kashmir government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Dubai-based Lulu group to set up a food processing and logistics hub in Srinagar, officials said.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha termed it as a "historic agreement" and said the trade between Jammu & Kashmir and Dubai has remained steady reflects the resilience of our deep economic linkages.

The J&K government signed an MoU with the LuLu Group to set up a food processing and logistics hub in Srinagar, in the presence of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and LuLu group Chairman Yusuff Ali M A on Wednesday, an official spokesman said on Thursday.

This historic agreement was signed by J&K Principal Secretary (Industries & Commerce) Ranjan Prakash Thakur and LuLu Group Executive Director Ashraf Ali M A at Dubai, where Sinha also inaugurated J&K promotion week at the LuLu hypermarket.

The lieutenant governor said the MoU with the LuLu group will further expand Jammu & Kashmir-Dubai collaboration and Jammu Kashmir-LuLu Group partnership.

"Relations between India and the UAE are long-standing and deep-rooted. People-to-people contact and trade have seen momentum in the recent years under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," the lieutenant governor said.

The world-famous GI-tagged saffron has been launched at LuLu Hypermarket, which is a major step towards boosting the Jammu & Kashmir-Dubai partnership, he said.

Sinha added that the LuLu group is already importing apples from Jammu & Kashmir and with saffron, "we are adding Kashmir's finest spice to the basket".

"I am certain this new beginning will take our trade to unprecedented levels," he said.

Sinha added that the trade between Jammu & Kashmir and Dubai has remained steady, despite COVID-19 challenges and it reflects the resilience of its deep economic linkages. "The MoU will further expand Jammu Kashmir-Dubai collaboration and Jammu Kashmir-Lulu Group partnership."

Jammu & Kashmir is number one in the production of Saffron, Apple, Walnut and Almond in India. The MoU with the LuLu group will help the UT reach out to shoppers at 190 LuLu Hypermarkets across the GCC and Egypt.