Agriculture, allied sectors power over 78% of J&K’s GDP

By: Raja Syed Rather

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday said that agriculture and allied sectors account for more than 78 percent of the Union Territory’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), providing livelihood to over 13 lakh families.

The statement was made in response to a question raised in the Legislative Assembly by MLA Ali Sagar, who sought information regarding the potential of the agriculture and horticulture sectors in Jammu and Kashmir.

In its reply, the government affirmed that agriculture and horticulture continue to be the backbone of the Union Territory’s economy. To unlock the full potential of these sectors, it said, multiple centrally sponsored schemes are currently being implemented across the region. These include Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), the Soil Health Card Scheme, the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM), Per Drop More Crop, Rainfed Area Development (RAD), Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), and the Sub-Mission on Agroforestry (SMAF).

The government added that under the flagship Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP), several transformative initiatives have been introduced to boost productivity, enhance infrastructure, and improve market linkages for farmers and growers.

One such initiative is the Production of Designer Plants, which aims to promote hybrid varieties and rejuvenate orchards across 5,500 hectares over a five-year period. This project is expected to reduce dependence on imported planting material and improve the quality and yield of horticultural produce.

Another significant component of HADP, the government said, is the Strengthening of the Agro-Marketing System, which focuses on developing key infrastructure like Controlled Atmosphere (CA) stores, modern grading lines, refrigerated vans, and new mandis to minimize post-harvest losses and improve the market value of produce.

In parallel, the Food Processing Clusters project is developing seven product-specific clusters across the UT, providing end-to-end solutions in food processing—from production and processing to packaging and marketing. These initiatives are aimed at expanding the reach of J&K’s produce in domestic and international markets.

The government also highlighted the provision of a top-up subsidy to encourage investment in CA storage, crucial for preserving produce and regulating market supply. Presently, the UT has a CA storage capacity of 2.11 lakh metric tonnes, and an additional 37,250 metric tonnes is expected to be added during the financial year 2024–25.

Efforts under the High-Density Plantation Scheme have already brought 836 hectares under cultivation by January 2025, out of the targeted 5,500 hectares. The government also noted ongoing upgrades to fruits and vegetable markets across the Union Territory, with support from NABARD. A total of 17 mandis have been integrated with the National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) platform. As of January 2025, 3,816 farmers and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) had registered on the platform, trading approximately 9.37 lakh quintals of produce worth around Rs 592 crore. Since 2020–21, e-NAM has facilitated the trade of 16.87 lakh quintals, with a cumulative transaction value of Rs 1,041.96 crore.

The government also reported progress on the Mission for Economic Revival of Saffron, which was launched in 2010–11 to rejuvenate saffron cultivation across the region. Developed by the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir (SKUAST-K), and implemented under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, the mission set a target to revive saffron farming across 3,715 hectares.

To date, 2,598.75 hectares have been successfully rejuvenated. The project is being implemented in the key saffron-growing districts of Pulwama, Budgam, Srinagar, and Kishtwar.

Pulwama district, with the highest target area of 3,200 hectares, has seen rejuvenation on 2,055.75 hectares. Budgam exceeded its target of 300 hectares by achieving 328 hectares of revival, while Srinagar and Kishtwar achieved their respective targets of 165 and 50 hectares.

The total cost of the project stands at Rs 400.11 crore, with Rs 315.99 crore contributed by the Government of India and Rs 84.12 crore as the farmers’ share. Out of Rs 269.91 crore released so far, Rs 259.68 crore has already been utilized across various components of the project.

The government concluded by reaffirming its commitment to transforming Jammu and Kashmir’s agricultural economy into a sustainable and resilient model. “These reforms are designed not only to modernize the sector but also to improve the livelihoods of farming communities across the Union Territory,” it said. —(KNO)