Itanagar, Aug 21: A team of officers from the Department of Agriculture, Govt of Arunachal Pradesh, undertook an exposure visit-cum-training programme on Sea Buckthorn cultivation, production systems and value-chain management in Leh and other parts of Ladakh from August 10 to 12.
The team was led by Director (Agriculture)-cum-State Nodal Officer (RKVY) Toggul Pertin Perme and included Joint Director Agriculture-cum-State Nodal Officer (Sea Buckthorn) Margi Ete, Entomologist-cum-DNO (RKVY) Techi Taura, Sub-Divisional Agriculture Officer, Menchuka, Norbu Tsering Naksang, and Agriculture Development Officer, Tawang, Rinchin Tsering.
The visit was undertaken at the invitation of the Forest and Environment Department, Administration of the Union Territory of Ladakh, to study the cultivation, collection, processing and marketing of Sea Buckthorn in the Indus and Shyok valleys. The team also interacted with cooperatives and self-help groups involved in the production and value-chain management of the crop.
Ladakh is among India’s leading Sea Buckthorn-producing regions, while the crop is extensively cultivated and managed in several parts of the Himalayan region. The exposure visit aimed at understanding suitable technologies, varieties, processing methods and value-addition opportunities that could be replicated in Arunachal Pradesh.
Officials said Arunachal Pradesh shares similar agro-climatic conditions with Ladakh in its upper frontier areas and with other Himalayan regions. Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) is also found naturally in parts of the State, particularly in cold and temperate areas, but its scientific cultivation, harvesting and commercial utilisation remain largely unexplored.
The berry is gaining importance globally for its nutritional and medicinal properties. Its fruits, seeds and leaves are used for various food, health and cosmetic products, while its juice and oil are valued for their antioxidant and fatty-acid content.
The department said nearly one-third of Arunachal Pradesh, particularly the northern frontier region and certain valleys and plateaus of the mid-hills, falls under temperate and semi-temperate agro-climatic conditions. Extreme cold, limited irrigation facilities, poor soil conditions and scarcity of cultivable plains make conventional agriculture challenging in several of these areas.
In this context, Sea Buckthorn has been identified as a potential crop for marginal and cold-climate areas, with the possibility of generating additional income for farmers in frontier villages.
The department said the plant has been reported in the Namgly Chu valley of Zemithang in Tawang district, while related berry species have been reported from several locations, including Syi-Yomi, Anini, Tuting and Gelling areas, Taksing, Senti Valley, Shergaon, Chug Valley and Saffer Camp. Local communities in some areas traditionally consume the berries and use parts of the plant for beverages, food and traditional purposes.
Recognising the potential of the crop, the Department of Agriculture has proposed pilot-scale Sea Buckthorn cultivation under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) for 2026-27. The proposal, approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, envisages establishment of pilot nurseries at Zemithang and Menchuka.
The department plans to assess the outcome of the pilot project before expanding Sea Buckthorn cultivation to other areas with suitable agro-climatic conditions.
During the exposure visit, the team visited a Sea Buckthorn processing plant at Shey, Leh, and interacted with officials of the Forest, Ecology and Environment Department as well as the manager of the processing unit operated by Bami-Dunya Cooperative Store Ltd. The team studied pulp-processing techniques, machinery and high-yielding varieties suitable for the local agro-climatic conditions.
The Ladakh authorities and the cooperative representatives also provided Sea Buckthorn seeds to the Arunachal team and assured technical support for promoting its cultivation and management in the State.
The team also visited the Defence Institute of High Altitude Research (DIHAR), Leh, where officials assured assistance in providing high-yielding Sea Buckthorn planting material from the current season.
On its return journey, the team also visited the Lahaul Valley along the Beas River in Himachal Pradesh to gain further exposure to Sea Buckthorn cultivation and management practices in high-altitude regions.
The Agriculture Department views Sea Buckthorn as a potential high-value crop for Arunachal’s upper reaches and mid-hill regions. It said sustained planning, technological support and continuous investment by the State and Central governments would be necessary to realise its potential and create a viable value chain.
The department expects the pilot initiative to provide a foundation for developing Sea Buckthorn as an alternative livelihood opportunity in suitable frontier and high-altitude areas of Arunachal Pradesh in the years ahead.