Kharu, Apr 05: Thirteen villages in Kharu Sub-Division of Leh district were granted PGS-India organic certification on Saturday, covering more than 583 hectares of farmland under organic cultivation, officials said.
The certificates were distributed during a ceremony organised under the Large Area Certification (LAC) and the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), aimed at promoting sustainable agricultural practices across the region.
The event was chaired by Tashi Dolma, Deputy Director Agriculture, Leh, and attended by senior agriculture officials including Shakeel-ur-Rehman, District Agriculture Officer (Extension), Leh, and Mohd. Ramzan, Sub-Divisional Agriculture Officer, Leh. Also present were Kunzang Dolma, Agriculture Extension Officer, Kharu, and representatives from the Sikkim State Organic Certifying Agency.
A total of 45 farmers, including village heads and progressive cultivators from the participating villages, took part in the programme.
Officials said the certification marks a step forward in expanding the organic farming base in the cold desert region, where climatic conditions and traditional practices are considered conducive to chemical-free agriculture.
During the session, farmers were briefed on the Mission Organic Development Initiative of Ladakh (MODI-L), with emphasis on certification procedures, compliance requirements, and market prospects for certified organic produce.
Agriculture department officials highlighted that certification under Participatory Guarantee System (PGS-India) is expected to improve market access and value realisation for farmers, while encouraging wider adoption of sustainable farming practices in the region.
The programme concluded with interactions between farmers and officials, focusing on scaling up organic cultivation and strengthening institutional support mechanisms in the sub-division.
