PORT BLAIR, 2 July 2025: Andaman and Nicobar Islands Lieutenant Governor Admiral DK Joshi (Retired) on Tuesday raised alarm over the declining availability of agricultural land across the archipelago, warning it is putting vital sectors like agriculture, dairy, and animal husbandry at risk.
Speaking at the National Conference on the International Year of Cooperatives–2025 in New Delhi, Joshi told delegates that indiscriminate land conversion from agricultural to commercial use has reduced farmland by 40% on the islands. “This trend is negatively affecting cooperatives in agro products, dairy, poultry, and animal husbandry,” he cautioned.
According to Joshi, only 2.5% of Andaman and Nicobar’s total land area now remains under agriculture, posing a major challenge to food security and rural livelihoods.
However, Joshi also shared success stories from the region’s cooperative sector, praising the Tribal Development Cooperative Society (TDCS) of Nicobar for achieving a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for Virgin Coconut Oil produced by the Nicobarese community. He highlighted six other products in the islands that have received GI recognition, describing them as examples of cooperative-driven economic empowerment.
The Lieutenant Governor thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for mentioning the GI-tagged Virgin Coconut Oil during his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address, calling it a moment of pride for the islands’ cooperative movement.
Image credit: 99acres.com
