J&K’s immense economic potential in agri sector is just being unlocked

30 August 2022

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Soft spoken and sharp, Atal Dullo – J&K’s Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary) Agriculture Production Department – is known as one of most able and efficient public administrators of J&K. Mr Dullo has done his B. Tech in Civil Engineering before making it to the coveted Indian Administrative Service (IAS). As J&K’s Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary) Health and Medical Education, Mr Dullo is credited with designing and leading J&K’s Covid19 Response Program at the peak of the pandemic with a blend of proactive measures and interventions that helped J&K tide over the pandemic with relatively less impact.

Eversince Mr Dullo assumed his new charge in the Agriculture Production Department in May 2022, he has undertaken a slew of policy and operational measures to make J&K’s agriculture sector unlock its optimum economic potential. In September 2021, the Government of Jammu & Kashmir nominated Mr Dulloo as government nominee Director on the Board of Directors of the J&K Bank. In an exclusive interview with Ziraat Times’ Agri Sector Advisor, Muhammad Sadiq, Mr Dullo spells out his vision for J&K’s agriculture sector. Here are the excerpts:

ZT: Mr Dullo, thank you very much for taking the time to speak to us. It is a pleasure talking to you. At the outset, Ziraat Times’ readers and viewers would like to hear from you how you see the economic potential of J&K’s agriculture sector.

Atal Dullo: Jammu & Kashmir economic potential in the agriculture sector is enormous, and we are just unlocking the potential now. Agriculture sector contributes about 17% to J&K’s GSDP, and a large number of people are associated with this sector. There is a large-scale trend towards high income and more scientific farming among our farmers in contrast to subsistence farming. This transformation is yielding our farmers better incomes, which, as we see, are improving the quality of living in our rural areas. Having said that, still much more needs to be done. High value crops like apples, walnuts, almonds, honey, etc….. We are working in a big way on these. We are designing specific policies and our scientists are undertaking targeted research about various ways and means in enhancing production and productivity.

When it comes to traditionally low-productivity lands, we wish to bring those lands under those crops which will give high returns to our farmers, especially those crops in which J&K has a comparative advantage. We want our farmers, living in low yield areas, to benefit from government schemes in promoting high income and improved crop varieties.

Then there are those areas of J&K which are rainfed where there are no means of irrigation. In those areas we see the income of farmers is low. In those areas we have a plan for promoting organic farming, vermi compost, and natural farming. It will be done in a big way in the next 5-6 years.

ZT: When it comes to promoting livestock and dairy, we often understand that a deficit in fodder availability in J&K in comparison to the potential in the sector puts limits in the sector’s growth. How is the APD aiming to address this deficit?

Atal Dullo: It is a fact that there is a deficiency of fodder in J&K. We have developed a plan to overcome this deficiency within the next five years by 50 – 60 %. That would be a huge achievement, creating numerous job opportunities along the supply chain in the sector. That situation would also create avenues for exporting milk and value-added milk products to other states in the country. We are aiming to create such facilitatory conditions across Jammu & Kashmir wherein the animal husbandry sector could unleash its full potential.

Likewise, we are emphasising on marketing. We have linked most of our big mandis with eNAM. We want most of our farmers to take advantage of these tech platforms and sell their produce directly at better prices. And we are promoting Direct Bank Transfers so that farmers get direct benefit without getting bogged down in any unnecessary administrative processes and procedures. These are big changes happening at a considerable speed.

ZT: One of the demands of the farmers in J&K has been expansion of the PM Fasal Bhima Yojana to cover all major crops. Should they expect good news on this any time soon?

Atal Dullo: One of our big aims in the coming days is the introduction of PM Fasal Bhima Yojana to all districts of J&K. We fully recognise the needs and aspirations of our farmers. While, as of now, the scheme is running in about 4 districts, we would like to assure that we are aiming for a full coverage soon.

One of our biggest challenges is that while production of some of the horticultural crops like apples is very high, some more efforts are required in promoting processing for value addition and improved economic returns. J&K is presently below the national average in terms of processing of high value crops. One of the central schemes – Agriculture Infrastructure Fund – is an important scheme that can help achieve that, but so far in J&K only a small number of projects have been funded under it. We want more and more private investors to come and benefit from this Fund in enhancing agriculture infrastructure, which, we believe, will enhance productivity and value addition in the agriculture sector.

We are also working on strengthening the scientific research and innovation work in our agricultural universities in Srinagar and Jammu. We have established innovation centres at SKUAST-Kashmir and SKUAST-Jammu, which are designed to promote innovation and entrepreneurship among students and other stakeholders in the sector. We expect to soon witness good results there.

ZT: Lately, Lumpin Skin Disease among livestock in J&K has created anxiety among cattle rearers and consumers of dairy products. Would you like to share with our readers how the situation is now and what measures are being taken at the government’s level to contain this disease?

Atal Dullo: About Lumpin Skin Disease, my first message to our farmers will be not to panic. This disease has spread in many other states within the country. First of all our rearers must stop free movement of animals as of now. Those animals that are sick must be isolated from other animals immediately.

To contain this disease, we have taken several measures, like door-to-door monitoring and assessment of cattle, testing and sampling wherever our personnel feel there is a need. Unfortunately, there was no testing facility available as of now for testing of suspect animals. The good news is that now we have established two labs in J&K – one at the Animal Husbandry Department in Srinagar and another at SKUAST Jammu. The Srinagar lab has started testing now while testing in Jammu will start soon. While earlier we had to send testing samples outside J&K, now we will be able to efficiently do that within J&K itself. It will be a big relief.

Moreover, we have established a Task Force at provincial levels in Kashmir and Jammu. These task forces will recommend which kinds of vaccinations are supposed to be provided to the livestock. Therefore, I would appeal to our cattle rearers and farmers not to panic and that we are on the job and are addressing this as a matter of priority.

ZT: Mr Dullo, thank you very much for all this. It will be deeply appreciated by J&K’s farming communities.

Atal Dullo: Thank you.