DRDO’s lab enters Limca records for growing veggies at frigid heights

The premier defence research body Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) laboratory has entered the Limca book of records for making the production of 78 varieties of vegetables at the frigid heights of Ladakh. 

 

Me at the Partapur extension of the DIHAR lab

 

Known as cold desert, Ladakh’s climate has not been suitable to agriculture and horticulture. Till 20 years back only 4-5 types of vegetables were grown in this region located at around 11,500 feet above sea level. Then Defence Institute of High Altitude Research (DIHAR) was mandated to undertake research so that troops located in Ladakh and Siachen can be provided with fresh vegetables and fruits.

“We have entered the Limca book of records and the record is based on three distinctions. First is that DIHAR is the world’s highest laboratory working on Agro-Animal technology. And secondly we have been able to grow large sizes of vegetables like 5 kg potato. And in the end we have been able to grow 78 types of vegetables in on season and in one field,” DIHAR’s director Dr RB Srivastava told Defence Express.

DIHAR is now eyeing to enter the Guinness book by taking the number of vegetables grown in the region from 78 to 100. 

“Our research and modification of vegetables and fruits have been really successful. Today we are able to meet 51 percent of the requirements of the troops posted here. Annually the troops require 5,000 metric tonnes of vegetables annually. The rest of the ration supply has to be fetched from Chandigarh at enormous cost,” Srivastava added. The transportation cost to get one kg tomato from Chandigarh to Leh is more than Rs. 100 and by the time it reaches final destination many a times it might not be palatable.

The scientists at DIHAR laboratory work on these technologies and then give it out to local farmers. “We impart knowledge about agriculture techniques to local farmer who then supply it to the army troops. In this way DIHAR is also contributing to the socio-economy of the region,” Srivastava added.

The DIHAR headquarters in Leh district and in its attachment at Partapur yearly give about 20,000 trees to local people for plantation. But due to the extreme climatic conditions, which see the mercury plummeting to minus 50 degrees Celsius, their survival rate is abysmal.