Sikkim To Phase Out Non-Organic Food Items Starting From March Next Year

Sikkim declared itself a fully organic state last year. Now, the government has approved a proposal to ban non-organic food items in a phased manner, starting from 31st March 2018.

According to an official release, a notification will be issued in due course to take necessary action for compliance with the cabinet decision prohibiting entry of non-organic agricultural and horticultural and livestock products into Sikkim.

#Sikkim: An #organic vision becomes reality – #organic_tweet @sikkimgovt Thanks for your organic vision https://t.co/DZhpvJQS7l

— organic-market-info (@organic_tweet) 8 December 2017

Numerous Fruits & Vegetables Banned

The list of the first food items to be banned effectively from March end, next year are maize, beans, brinjal, bitter gourd, bottle gourd, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, capsicum, carrot, chayote, cucumber, drumstick, okra ,leafy vegetables, spinach, pea, radish, tomato, pointed gourd, banana, guava, mango, orange, papaya, ginger, green chilly, turmeric.

The second batch of non-organic food to be phased out, and denied entry to Sikkim, from March 2019 are millet/finger millet, soyabeans, rapeseed, mustard, onion, potato, garlic, milk & packaged milk and mustard oil cake.

Previously, the Chief Minister, Pawan Kumar Chamling, had publicly announced that his government would ban the import of fruits like mango and banana starting from next year. He had said that consumption of these fruits are hazardous for the health of people as it is ripened with use of chemicals.