Agriculture sector provides 70% of livelihoods, contributes 18% to J&K GDP: Government
Srinagar, Sep 2: Agriculture and allied activities provide around 70 per cent of livelihoods in Jammu and Kashmir and contribute about 18 per cent to the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), the official figures have revealed.
As per the government statistics highlighting the agriculture sector’s progress between 2019-20 and 2025-26, the government has listed a series of achievements in the agriculture and allied sectors, including a more than two-fold increase in cold storage capacity, expansion of crop insurance, growth in milk and fish production and increased horticulture exports.
As per the figures, cold storage capacity in J&K increased from 1.39 lakh metric tonnes to 2.97 lakh MT from 2019-20 to 2025-26.
Under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, Rs 4,383.61 crore has been disbursed to 9,16,587 lakh farmers, the document states.
The government figures presented before the recently convened meeting with Niti Aayog members, the government said two Horticulture Centres of excellence and one Agriculture Centre of Excellence have been established, while 13 others are under execution.
“The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana has also been extended to all 20 districts,” the official document reads.
The government claimed that the Kisan Credit Card scheme has 11.44 lakh active cards, with Rs 10,964 crore in loans sanctioned.
“Milk processing capacity increased seven-fold, from 35,000 litres to 2.50 lakh litres per day, while fish production rose by 40 per cent from 21,000 MT to 31,700 MT,” the official document reads.
As per the official statistics, seven agricultural products have received Geographical Indication (GI) tags, with 20 more products under process.
“The National Agriculture Market has linked 17 mandis and registered 2,750 traders since 2019,” the official document reads.
The government claimed that Horticulture exports also increased from 11.87 lakh MT in 2020-21 to 13.86 lakh MT in 2025-26.
In the meeting, the government also highlighted progress under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP), including the establishment of 1.46 lakh units and generation of 4 crore person-days of employment.
“Under area expansion initiatives, 12,764 hectares have been brought under crops including Mushqbudji rice, red rice, chilli, hill garlic and vegetables,” the official document reads.
The government informed the Niti Aayog team that 2.88 lakh farmers have been skilled through the DAKSH KISAN initiative.
The document reads that mushroom production increased from 2,100 MT in 2021-22 to 3,765 MT, while honey production rose from 2,200 MT to 3,900 MT.
The seed replacement rate has increased from 12 per cent to 20 per cent, while 1,150 saffron and 890 other nurseries have been registered.
As per the official statistics, a total of 1,807 KissanKhidmatGhars have been established, with 9.41 lakh farmers registered and 5.2 lakh farms geo-tagged and on boarded.
The HADP progress also includes the establishment of 481 Hi-Tech Poly Greenhouses covering 2.26 lakh square metres and 966 low-cost poly greenhouses covering 2.18 lakh square metres.
As per the official data, under the Yellow Revolution, the area under oilseed cultivation has expanded from 1.40 lakh hectares.
The document also outlines the Competitiveness Improvement of Agriculture and Allied Project (JK-CIP), a $217 million (approximately Rs 1,800 crore) project focused on improving the climate and market ecosystem across 90 blocks.
The project targets marginal communities and women and is expected to benefit around three lakh households, or approximately 15 lakh people.
“Its components include climate-smart and market-led production, development support for the agri-business ecosystem, and support to vulnerable communities and project management,” the document reads.
The expected outcomes after seven years include scaling up collectivisation, strengthening and establishing Farmer Producer Organisations, supporting business-led enterprises, market support and brand development, assistance to startups and benefits to three lakh households.
The government claimed that under JK-CIP, 65,123 farmers have been registered and 73,472 applications have been received so far.
“Of these, 18,046 applications are under process, while 48,348 have been approved. A total of 9,131 units have been established,” the document reads.
The document also mentioned the proposed introduction of a restructured Weather-Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) for fruit crops, including apple, saffron, litchi and mango.
“The fresh tendering process for the scheme will be initiated after issuance of the revised RWBCIS operational guidelines by the Government of India,” the document reads.
