The Union Agriculture Ministry has constituted a high-level committee to examine the setting up of a dedicated National Sanjeevani Research Centre at Nubra in Ladakh for research, development, value addition and commercialisation of sea buckthorn, a high-value Himalayan medicinal and nutritional crop.
Ladakh Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena said the initiative would help unlock the scientific, agricultural and commercial potential of the region’s naturally occurring sea buckthorn and create new livelihood opportunities for farmers and local communities.
The Governor expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for recognising the medicinal and nutritional potential of Ladakh’s sea buckthorn and referring to it as “Sanjeevani”. He also thanked Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for acting on the request and constituting the committee within a week of the proposal made on August 14.
The committee arrived in Ladakh on Friday and is scheduled to meet farmers, co-operatives and officials in Nubra on Saturday. It has been asked to submit its report within 45 days.
The panel will assess the existing status of sea buckthorn in Ladakh, including its natural distribution, cultivation, production, utilisation and ongoing research. It will also examine measures for genetic improvement, propagation, standardised cultivation, harvesting, post-harvest management, processing and quality assurance.
Sea buckthorn is valued for its nutritional content and contains vitamins A, C and E, besides Omega-3, Omega-6, Omega-9 and Omega-7 fatty acids. Officials and experts have identified the crop as having significant agricultural and commercial potential.
The proposed research centre is expected to provide an institutional framework for scientific research, value addition and sustainable commercialisation of the crop, while supporting farmers and local communities involved in its cultivation and utilisation.
The initiative could also position Ladakh’s sea buckthorn as a specialised Himalayan agricultural product, linking local cultivation with research, processing and wider markets.
