Ladakh introduces technology for farming in harsh weather: Nityanand Rai

New Delhi, Dec 6: Union Minister of State for Home, Nityanand Rai, informed the Rajya Sabha that Ladakh has introduced innovative “Ladakh Green House” technology, enabling the year-round cultivation of vegetables in controlled conditions with limited quantities.
In a written response to a query, the minister said, “Given Ladakh’s cold climate, cultivating crops and vegetables in winter proves challenging, especially when temperatures dip below -20 degrees Celsius. Nevertheless, the introduction of this cutting-edge technology empowers farmers in the region to cultivate vegetables even in the harsh peak winter conditions, where temperatures can drop below -30 degrees Celsius.”
“As of now, Ladakh has erected 1,875 of these greenhouses, amounting to a total cost of Rs 43.78 crore, enabling farmers to cultivate vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, tomatoes, and various green leafy vegetables even during the severe winter months. This has substantially reduced the dependency on external sources for vegetables,” he said.
Rai said that Ladakh, characterized by extremely harsh winters, experiences a limited cropping season spanning five months from May to September, local production during this period stands at approximately 17,000 Metric tonnes of vegetables and fruits.
However, to meet the region’s requirements, an average of around 35,000 Metric tonnes of vegetables and fruits are sourced from outside.