The quiet disappearance of Kashmir’s fertile agricultural land should alarm policymakers as much as it worries farmers. As per the latest official figures, over the past three decades, the Valley has lost nearly 34,000 hectares of cultivable land to housing colonies, commercial structures, orchards and other non-farm uses. This steady erosion of farmland has pushed Kashmir into an increasingly fragile dependence on food grains imported from outside Jammu & Kashmir, raising serious concerns about long-term food security.
The numbers tell a stark story. Kashmir today produces barely 0.45 million tonnes of food grains against an annual requirement of around 1.34 million tonnes, leaving a deficit of 0.89 million tonnes. Official estimates suggest this shortfall could touch 36 per cent by next year and exceed 50 per cent by 2030 if current trends continue. For a region that once prided itself on rice self-sufficiency, this is a dangerous trajectory.
Behind these statistics are lived realities. Farmers across the Valley speak of paddy fields shrinking year after year as land is sold or repurposed. Traditional agriculture, already struggling with rising input costs and low returns, is losing its appeal to younger generations. Unregulated land conversion, combined with inadequate incentives for farming, has accelerated this decline. The 2022 policy changes that eased restrictions on converting farmland for commercial or industrial use, including the removal of the 400 square metre cap, have further weakened safeguards meant to protect productive land.
The consequences extend beyond farming communities. Heavy reliance on rice and other food grains from Punjab, Haryana and elsewhere has made Kashmir vulnerable to supply disruptions and price volatility. Even brief interruptions in road connectivity can send food prices soaring, exposing the fragility of the Valley’s food system.
This is not an irreversible crisis, but it demands urgent and coordinated policy action. First, land-use laws must be enforced strictly, with zero tolerance for illegal or speculative conversion of agricultural land. Second, remaining paddy fields and prime agricultural tracts should be legally protected through zoning and land-banking mechanisms. Third, farming must be made economically viable through better procurement prices, incentives for high-yielding and climate-resilient rice varieties, and investment in irrigation and mechanisation.
Safeguarding Kashmir’s agricultural land is not merely an environmental or rural issue; it is a question of basic food security and economic survival for J&K. If the current erosion continues unchecked, future generations will inherit a land that consumes far more than it produces. Protecting farmland today is essential to ensure that Kashmir can feed itself tomorrow.
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