Chapter 1 Overview of the Agriculture Sector in Leh Ladakh 1.1 Leh District purpose. Production of unique natural resources such as District Leh in the state of Jammu & Kashmir is situated apricot, apple and off-season vegetable remain limited in trans-Himalaya. The high mountain district is due to water scarcity and poor market linkages. Due to its characterized by a rugged topography at an altitude unique climatic conditions, there is glut of farm produce ranging from 2900 to 5900 meters above sea level. It has in August and September, while there is no availability of a vast geographical area of 45100 km2, which is larger fresh fruits and vegetables during the rest of the year. than that of Haryana State. Leh is bounded by Pakistan Domestic food production is unable to meet the demand occupied Kashmir in the west, China in the North and of the increasing population in the district. Leh gets eastern part, and Lahaul Spiti of Himachal Pradesh in the approximately 73% of its food grain from outside the south east. It is at a distance of 434 kilometres from region. The vegetable import dependency is Srinagar and 474 kilometres from Manali (Himachal approximately 67%, while that of fruit is approximately Pradesh). 85%. Therefore, self-sufciency in food is an important issue for the region. Meeting the demand of the region by Leh district is separated from the Indian subcontinent by local production is a difcult task. Importing of goods to the Great Himalayan Range and edged by the Karakoram Ladakh necessitates the shipping by trucks across the Range to the North. The region is characterized by Himalayas, with passes as high as 5300 m, covering the extreme temperature variations, low precipitation mostly distance of Manali to Leh (474 km) or Srinagar to Leh in the form of snow, high wind velocity, sparse plant (434 km). density, thin atmosphere with high UV-radiation and fragile ecosystem. The temperature often drops down to - The total cropped area in Leh district is 10,223 Ha and 30ºC in winter. Long harsh winters reduce the cropping thus only 0.2% of the total geographical area is under season to just four to ve months in a year. cultivation. Similarly, the area under forest cover is 1.2 Agriculture Sector in Leh District meagre 0.064%. Moreover, Ladakh's oating population is increasing rapidly in addition to the local populace and Agriculture in Leh Ladakh is a way of life for the agrarian population and nearly 70% population is directly or the troops deployed in the region. Majority of the indirectly dependent on this sector. Despite the vast households have small land holding; 49.4% households geographical area, 62% of the households has less than 1 have less than 0.5 ha land. Population growth competes ha cultivable land. Single-cropping is dominant, as with cultivable land available for agriculture and for double-cropping is possible only in a limited area falling water resources. Value of land has increased to the point below an altitude of approximately 3000 m. Agriculture where return from agriculture/horticulture production is production is entirely based on irrigation. Glaciers are unable to compete with other developmental activities the main source of water for irrigation and the rivers that especially in the areas coming under urbanization. ow in the region remain underutilized for agricultural Table 1: Leh Ladakh at a glance Particular Area/ nos Major crops/ heads/ Percent distribution Total geographical area 45110 km2 - Altitude 2900-5900 m Blocks 16 Villages 113 - Panchayat 95 Ladakh Organic Policy 1 Overview of the Agriculture Sector in Leh Ladakh Table 1: Leh Ladakh at a glance Particular Area/ nos Major crops/ heads/ Percent distribution Population 1,33,487 nos. Male (78971 nos.), female (54516 nos.) Literacy rate 77.2% Area under forest 29 Km2 Willow, poplar, Seabuckthorn Total cropped area 10,223 Ha Wheat (2415 ha), barley (3631 ha), pulses (118 ha), vegetable (629 ha), oil seeds (71 ha), fodder (2289 ha) Gross area irrigated 10,223 Ha - Number of fruit trees 1,75,354 nos Apricot (1,11,477 nos.), apple (60,555 nos.), others (3,322 nos.) Agricultural land % Below 0.5 ha (49.4%), 0.5-1.0 ha (10.2%), 1.0-2.0 ha holding per household (20.2%), 2.0-3.0 ha (9.9%), 3.0-4.0 ha (4.9%), 4.0-5.0 ha (2.3%), 5.0-7.5 ha (1.9%), 7.5-10 ha (0.7%), 10-20 ha (0.3%), above 20 ha (0.3%) Fertilizer use 533 MT (in 2018) Urea (288 MT), DAP (230 MT), MOP (15 MT) Pesticide use 98.7 litre (in 2018) - Sheep & goat 2,04,751 nos. Sheep (70,619 nos.), goat (1,34,132 nos.) Cattle, Yak, Dzo-Dzomos, 90,864 nos Cattle (45,381 nos), Yak, Dzo-Dzomos (18721 nos.), Donkey, Pony, Poultry Donkey (6,077 nos), Pony (5,321 nos.), Poultry (15,364 nos.) Vegetable Cultivation: Cooperative Marketing Society. Ladakh region is known In late 1960s only ve types of vegetables were grown in for production of off-season vegetables such as broccoli, the region. Recently, feasibility of growing 101 types of cabbage, cauliower, peas. However, due to poor market vegetable has been demonstrated. Farmers in Ladakh are linkage, large-scale production of vegetable as off- growing 23 types of vegetable on commercial scale and season crops has not gained momentum in the region. supplying to Army in the region through Farmers Table 2: Production and area under different vegetables crop cultivation in Leh Ladakh (2016) Crop Production Area MT % Ha % Onion 402 3.4 37 6.6 Cabbage 397 3.3 21 3.7 Cauliower 212 1.8 17 3.0 Carrot 242 2.0 23 4.1 Radish 95 0.8 6 1.1 Beans 40 0.3 12 2.1 Cucurbits 34 0.3 2 0.4 Potato 8970 75.6 253 44.8 Pea 1269 10.7 169 30.0 Others 206 1.7 24 4.3 Fruit Production clear sky and high diurnal temperature variation during Apricot and apple are the two major fruit crops of the growing season. However, the production of the amount region, and are prized for their quality. The climatic of fruit to meet the requirements to sustain a small and condition is highly congenial for the production of cottage scale industry, although in infancy, is on gradual quality apricot and apple owing to long fruiting season, increase. Historically, the premium quality dried apricots 2 Ladakh Organic Policy Overview of the Agriculture Sector in Leh Ladakh are used as one of the main trading commodity with scale production and marketing of quality organic apricot neighboring countries. Recently, Raktsey Karpo, and apple from Ladakh. Recently, production has also apricots with white seed coat, has been identied as started for organically grown high quality melon in the unique genetic resource of Ladakh and the world's region. sweetest apricots. There is immense potential for large- Table 3: Fruit trees in different Blocks of Leh district (numbers) Name of Block Apricot Apple Others Total Chuchot 2118 3874 142 6134 Diskit 6523 8866 Nil 15389 Durbuk 150 40 Nil 190 Khalsi 28640 11959 989 41588 Kharu 1750 1830 1 3581 Leh 1918 2767 53 4738 Nimoo 7543 6071 224 13838 Nyoma Nil Nil Nil Nil Panamik 4358 4965 Nil 9323 Rong-Chumathang 1738 561 1 2300 Rupsho-Puga Nil Nil Nil Nil Saspol 5888 5056 305 11249 Singaylalok 3152 343 23 3518 Skurbuchan 24594 4389 504 29487 Thiksey 1586 2864 20 4470 Turtuk 20285 4266 929 25480 Leh town 1233 2704 131 4068 TOTAL 111477 60555 3322 175354 Seabuckthorn: Underutilized wild shrub activity under Mission for Integrated Development of Seabuckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) is an Horticulture (MIDH) scheme of Ministry of Agriculture ecologically and economically important native plant. It and Farmers Welfare, Government of India. grows naturally in Ladakh without much of human Cereal crops interference. Recent discovery of the health benets, Wheat and barley are the traditional crops of Ladakh, and although being used as ingredients in traditional continued to be the staple food of the people. Cereals are medicine, fetches a premium price even at the harvesting grown for twin purpose of food and fodder. Of the total sites. Large-scale cultivation of Seabuckthorn has the 10223 Ha under cultivation, wheat (2415 Ha) and barley potential to be a key means for sustainable development (3632 Ha) occupy 59.2% of the total cropped areas. of cold desert of Ladakh. Currently the demand for However, in view of easy and cheap availability of wheat Seabuckthorn of the region exceeds the supply. from Public Distribution System (PDS), interest among Cultivation of Seabuckthorn on 2500 ha is estimated to farmers in growing wheat crop is slowly declining. fetch a net income of Rs 491 crore annually. Recently, Organic certication will ensure higher returns. Seabuckthorn has also been included as horticultural Ladakh Organic Policy 3 Overview of the Agriculture Sector in Leh Ladakh Pulses Fodder Pulses can be grown successfully in Ladakh condition. Fodder is the backbone of agriculture and animal However, it occupies only 1.2% of the total cropped areas husbandry industry in Ladakh. Cultivated fodder in Leh district. The State Agriculture Department is occupies 22.4% (2290 Ha) of the total cropped areas. The region is known for high quality alfa-alfa, which is a rich promoting growing of pulses in the region and area under source of protein. Dried alfa-alfa is traditionally used as pulses is slowly increasing. Rajma grown in the region is the main source of fodder during winter months.