L-G Saxena credits farmers and a ban on chemical fertilisers; the administration aims to turn organic status into better prices for apricots, sea buckthorn and barley
Leh, October 25: Ladakh has been declared India’s first fully organic Union Territory. Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena made the announcement on Sunday, recognising the work of the region’s farmers and the administration’s push for chemical-free farming.
The milestone is expected to help protect Ladakh’s fragile Himalayan ecosystem, improve soil and water health, and raise farm incomes. The administration says that, building on traditional farming methods and the region’s unique agro-climatic conditions, Ladakh can become a model for sustainable high-altitude agriculture. The move is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s push for natural and climate-resilient farming.
The shift was backed by firm policy. In July, the L-G banned the procurement, distribution, sale and use of chemical and synthetic fertilisers across the UT to protect organic certification and safeguard soil and water. Earlier, in March, consignments of organic fertiliser were sent to villages to ensure farmers had supplies before the sowing season.
Officials expect organic status to raise the value of local produce such as apricots, sea buckthorn, buckwheat, barley and vegetables. Certification, better post-harvest handling, branding and stronger market links could help farmers reach buyers looking for traceable organic food.
Saxena called it a moment of pride and said farmers had shown that eco-friendly agriculture can thrive even in harsh terrain. He stressed that organic status must deliver real gains through better market access and prices. He also urged other states and UTs to adopt sustainable farming suited to their own conditions.
Ladakh joins Sikkim, which became India’s first fully organic state in 2016.
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