Sikkim and it's Agriculture

 In January 2016, Sikkim became India’s first “100 per cent organic” state. Today, all farming in Sikkim is carried out without the use of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides, providing access to safer food choices and making agriculture a more environment-friendly activity. But when Delhi-based non-profit Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) visited 16 farms spread over the four districts of the state—North Sikkim, South Sikkim, West Sikkim and East Sikkim—in November 2016, it found that the farmers’ experience of organic farming was far from satisfactory. The findings of this survey hold lessons for the rest of the country.

In Poklok-Denchung gram panchayat near Namchi, the headquarters of South Sikkim district, 85-year-old Nar Bahadur Rai is a disappointed farmer. With his son, Rai grows maize, ginger and cardamom on their two-hectare (ha) farm. Since 2011-12, when they stopped using synthetic chemicals, their ginger production has plunged to only a third of the amount they used to grow when chemical use was permitted in farming. A fungal disease called sheath blight has affected their ginger crop and Rai has received no assistance from the government. “Why are we not given any medicines for our crops? The government gave us only some manure for a short while. What is the point of the officers going for trainings if the farmers do not learn anything?” he asks.

Organic Farming-

  In order to conserve the soil fertility, medicinal herbs and traditional plants in convergence with cow dung, urine pit 100% organic farming has been achieved in West Sikkim. Every farmer has been sensitized and certification has been done along with the soil health card as a result purchasing power of the farmer increased manifold, the number of inbound tourist have been increased and per-capita income of the farmer has doubled. Due to organic farming the farmers have been granted cowshed in convergence with MGNREGA. Cow urine (GOMUTRA) is used as medicines. The organic farming has resulted in restoring problem of seedling erosion etc.. The organic farming has not only preserved environment but also has preserved human health.

Important Organic Cash Crops of Sikkim

Important organically grown cash crops of the state are oranges, large cardomom, ginger, turmeric, cherry paper, baby corn, buck heat, pulses etc. All these organic crops have a high demand in domestic and international markets.

SIKKIM MANDARIN ORANGE

Mandarin orange (Citrus reticulata) is the most common among citrus fruits grown in India. It occupies nearly 50% of the total citrus area in India. Mandatrin group includes all types of loose jacket oranges commonly called Santra or mandarin such as Nagpur Santra, Coorg Santra, Khasi Mandarin, Sikkim Mandarin etc. Sikkim mandarin represents the most important commercial fruit of Sikkim and is similar to the Nepal or Assam or Darjeeling mandarin.

In Sikkim, mandarin orange is being cultivated since time immemorial. It is a native fruit of Sikkim and is very popular all over the country.

LARGE CARDAMOM

Large cardamom (Amomum subulatum Roxburgh), a member of Zingiberaceae family under the order Scitaminae, is one of the most important cash crops cultivated in the sub-himalayan state of Sikkim and Darjeeling District of West Bengal. In the state the area under large cardamom is about 12,500 ha and Sikkim is the highest producer in India holding a share of 70% of the Indian market.

Black cardamom

The fruit is 4-6 times the size of small cardamom and has an acceptable taste, flavour and aroma that stimulate the taste buds when used in rice and meat preparations, besides a wide range of beverages and sweets. In India, it is a popular ingredient of pan masala.

GINGER

Ginger (Zingiber officinale L.), an important commercial crop belonging to the family Zingiberaceae is grown for its aromatic rhizomes which are used both as spice and medicine. It is an old age crop of Asia and believed to have originated from South-East Asia.

BABY CORN

Baby Corn cultivation is a recent development in Sikkim. Major motive behind popularization of the crop is to increase the economic condition of farmers. The potential of growing the crop in the state is visualized from the production and productivity of maize. Thought less remunerative, maize is the only crop in Sikkim which is successfully grown in approximately 39000 ha area across different agroecological condition.

TURMERIC

The Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is an important spice used conventionally as a natural food colorant and as an additive for imparting to food orange-yellow colour, flavor and aroma. It is also valued as an antiseptic for its anti-inflammatory property and is used in beauty treatment or in the cosmetic industry and dye plants.