Ladakh Becomes India’s First Fully Organic Union Territory

Vinai Kumar Saxena, the Lieutenant Governor of India’s newly established organic Union Territory Ladakh, said that the state is India’s first complete organic Union Territory as of October 25, 2026. This is a result of the ban imposed by the government on the sale and usage of chemical fertilisers since June as well as the ongoing efforts of making all agricultural practices organic in the state. By Mission Organic Development Initiative (MODI), launched in 2020, all 666 villages of Ladakh would be converted into organic cultivation zones.

Ladakh’s Organic Farming Scheme

Organic farming scheme is part of Ladakh’s efforts to decrease dependency on chemicals and practice sustainable agriculture in its cold-desert area.

According to the MODI scheme which was implemented in 2020, the government plans to make all the 666 villages in Ladakh to practice certified organic farming. According to information prior to 2026 October, 207 revenue villages have been made to practice certified organic farming.

The scheme has an alleged budget of ₹500 crore for undertaking various activities such as production of bio-fertilizers, seed supply, protected cultivation of organic products and their marketing.

Why is Organic Farming Important for Ladakh?

Ladakh is situated in the Trans Himalayan region which has an alpine and cold desert type of climate.

Through organic farming, there can be decreased use of fertilizers that may contribute towards better soil and environmental conservation in the area.

Agricultural produce from Ladakh consists of,

• Crops: Barley, wheat, peas, buckwheat, foxtail millet and mustard.
• Fruits and other crops: Apricots and sea buckthorn.
• Vegetables: Potato, cabbage, cauliflower, tomato, onion, carrot, radish, turnip and leafy vegetables.

The government wants better prices and good market reach through organic certification, better branding and value addition to increase the value of the produce and the incomes of farmers. But the problem of price and markets is a big one.

Organic Farming in India: Background

The success of Ladakh is quite significant in the backdrop of the organic farming movement in India as a whole.

Sikkim became the first fully organic state of India back in 2016. The declaration by Ladakh in 2026 represents another important step at the Union Territory level. Ladakh had previously entered into an agreement with the Sikkim State Organic Certification Agency in July 2021.

In India, the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) is responsible for setting standards of organic production and accreditation of certification agencies. This program is run by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).