JAMMU, MARCH 24: Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly today passed the Demands of Grants for various departments.
The approved grants included Rs. 258369.98 Lakh for the Agriculture Production Department, Rs. 122899.58 Lakh for the Animal & Sheep Husbandry Department, Rs. 22524.86 Lakh for the Fisheries Department, Rs. 475485.95 Lakh for the Rural Development Department, Rs. 70429.33 lakh for Horticulture Department, Rs. 35960.43 lakh for Election Department, and Rs. 9642.4 Lakh for the Co-operatives Department.
Winding up the discussion on Demands for Grants, Minister for Agriculture Production, RDD, Cooperative and Election, Departments, Javid Ahmad Dar, said that agriculture and allied sectors are indeed the backbone of Jammu & Kashmir’s economy, contributing a staggering Rs 37,559 crore, which accounts for 18 percent of the State’s Gross Domestic Product (SGDP). The Horticulture sector takes the lead, accounting for a whopping 41 percent of this contribution, reaffirming J&K’s dominance in high-value fruit production. He said that the Livestock sector plays a crucial role, contributing 33 percent to the economy, while core agriculture activities make up 25 percent, demonstrating the region’s diverse and resilient agrarian economy.
He said that the government is complementing its ongoing investments in infrastructure with a stronger emphasis on beneficiary-oriented schemes, ensuring that the farmers directly benefit from targeted interventions. One such initiative is the High-Density Plantation (HD) Scheme, which has already brought 836 hectares under high-density orchards, including 174 hectares covered in the current financial year. With a Rs 30 crore budget allocation during 2024-25, this initiative is driving higher productivity, increased farmer income, and long-term sustainability in the horticulture sector, he added.
The Minister said that the government is also driving transformational growth in the livestock sector through targeted interventions that enhance productivity, employment, and income generation for farmers. He said 3,220 dairy units were established in 2024-25 under the Integrated Dairy Development Scheme, generating employment for nearly 5,000 people. Similarly, 2,170 units were set up in 2024-25 under the Integrated Sheep Development Scheme.
Jammu and Kashmir’s agriculture sector is experiencing a remarkable transformation under the Holistic Agriculture Development Program (HADP), delivering tangible results, said the Minister. He extolled that agriculture in the UT is undergoing a transformative shift, from a focus solely on produce to a producer-centric approach. This evolution is driving higher returns for the farmers, nurturing entrepreneurship, and creating a more sustainable and commercially viable agricultural ecosystem, he added.
He said that there are 29 projects under HADP, spanning across all sectors within the Agriculture Production Department (APD), driving a fundamental transformation in Jammu & Kashmir’s agri-economy.
The Minister highlighted significant strides in horticulture, particularly in the expansion of High-Density (HD) Plantations. The government is developing rootstock banks and mother orchards to support the growth of HD plantations across 5,500 hectares under Project 21 of HADP. During 2024-25, the government promoted protected cultivation with 9,083 square meters already developed for rootstock production besides the establishment of 45 hectares as mother orchards and cultivating 18.6 hectares for rootstock production, he maintained.
He said that assistance will now be disbursed in three phases, 50 percent after plantation, 30 percent upon sprouting, and the final 20 percent after one year, if survival reaches 90 percent, to address setbacks in traditional orchards due to reduced farmer engagement post-financial support.
The Minister said that the government is also launching scientific measures to improve livestock breeding besides implementing Embryo Transfer Technology (ETT) and Artificial Insemination (AI) to enhance the genetic potential of cattle, sheep, and goats. He said that 191 satellite heifer rearing units had been established in 2024-25 to reduce dependence on animal imports and improve the quality of dairy animals in J&K. Additionally, 19 milk value-addition SHGs were supported with Rs 25 lakh each, equipping 88 SHGs with automatic milk collection units linked to bulk milk coolers.
Regarding the mutton sector, he informed that four breed-based farms (each housing 500 sheep) and 673 commercial sheep farms had been established during 2024–25. Besides, the government is importing 900 high-quality Texel and Dorper sheep from Australia to enhance meat production.
The Minister said that 210 trout units, 6 Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) units, and 8bio flocc units had been established in 2024-25, to boost fish production, improve livelihoods, and promote sustainable aquaculture in J&K. He added that the government is focusing on improving irrigation coverage, promoting climate-resilient cropping and ensuring judicious use of water resources for expanding irrigation infrastructure and enhancing water efficiency in rainfed areas.
He informed that the District Irrigation Plan aims to cover 415,000 hectares of Culturable Command Area (CCA). So far, 191,000 hectares have been covered and efforts are underway to bring an additional 33,000 hectares under irrigation. He said that to bridge this gap, 18 projects are in progress under UT Capex and 14 new projects worth Rs 48.83 crore have been sanctioned. Also, 20,102 hectares have been brought under irrigation during 2024-25. Over the next three years, an allocation of Rs 116.86 crore will be utilized for the establishment of 200 community borewells, integrated with drip and sprinkler irrigation systems to significantly enhance water use efficiency and boost agricultural productivity across 2,000 hectares.
The Minister said that, simultaneously, the Rainfed Area Development (RAD) Project 16 is focused on making rainfed farming more sustainable and climate resilient under HADP. He said that the department through its project on “Promotion of Vegetables and Exotic Vegetables under Open and Hi-Tech Protected Cultivation” is expanding both open-field vegetable cultivation and hi-tech protected farming, ensuring higher yields, better quality, and greater market competitiveness.
The Minister revealed that 21 lakh soil health cards have been issued to farmers under the Soil Health Card (SHC) Scheme.
He said that currently there are 37 mandis with 24 fully operational and the remaining 13 in various stages of development. Significantly, out of the 19 wholesale mandis, 17 have already been integrated with the e-NAM platform, while the integration of the remaining two is underway. In 2024-25 alone, 54,975 stakeholders were registered on the platform, including 3,634 growers, 72 traders, and 108 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs). In 2024-25, a total of 9.44 lakh quintals of agricultural and horticultural produce worth Rs 594 crore, was traded through e-NAM, as compared to 6.55 lakh quintals worth Rs 416 crore in 2023-24, he said.
The Minister said that the introduction of the rail network in Kashmir would be a game-changer for the apple growers, significantly reducing freight costs and ensuring better profitability.
“Jammu & Kashmir Competitiveness Improvement Project (JKCIP) is a forward-looking initiative being launched with support from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)” the Minister said.
Javid Dar said that in J&K, there are 10.82 lakh active KCC accounts, 8.49 lakh for crops, and 2.33 lakh for animal husbandry. This year alone, 61,316 new KCCs were issued. The total sanctioned limit stands at ₹9,726 crore with an outstanding credit of Rs 7,393 crore. The NPA ratios remain low at 4.7% for crops and 2.1% for animal husbandry, reflecting strong credit discipline. In FY 2025–26, we aim to add 1 lakh new KCCs in the crop sector and 2 lakh in Animal Husbandry, he added.
He said that the Pradhan Mantri Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme is also being implemented to promote small food processors, improve value addition, and enhance market access. Based on a One District One Product (ODOP) strategy, it offers a 35% credit-linked subsidy of up to ₹10 lakh and support to SHGs and FPOs. He said upto2024-25, 1743 applications were cleared by District Committees, with 1,326 sanctioned, 927 disbursed, and 1,000 new units targeted for establishment in 2025-26.
He said that seven unique agricultural products from J&K have been granted the prestigious Geographical Indication (GI) Tag by the Government of India, reinforcing their authenticity, heritage, and market value. These included Saffron, Basmati, Baderwah Rajmash, Mushkbudji Rice, Udhampur Kaladi, Ramban Sulai Honey, and Ramban Anardana. In continuation, GI tagging for 17 more crops shall be processed during 2025-26.