Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir’s horticulture sector may have expanded dramatically over the past four decades, but two of its important fruit crops are now showing worrying trends, with apple productivity declining and almond cultivation shrinking by around 10,000 hectares, a NITI Aayog report has highlighted.
The findings form part of the “Roadmap for Horticulture Development in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir @ 2047,” which examines the long-term growth of the sector and identifies emerging challenges that could affect its sustainability.
The report shows that the area under fruit cultivation in Jammu and Kashmir increased from 1.31 lakh hectares in 1980 to 3.44 lakh hectares in 2022. Fruit production also surged from 5.6 lakh tons to 27.22 lakh tons during the period.
However, the increase in productivity has been far less pronounced, rising from 4.3 tons per hectare in 1980 to 7.91 tons per hectare in 2022. This suggests that much of the growth in overall production has come from an expansion in cultivated area rather than a proportionate improvement in yield.
The trend is particularly significant for apples, which remain the backbone of J&K’s fruit economy. Apple orchards account for nearly half of the total area under fruit cultivation and contribute more than three-fourths of the Union Territory’s fruit production.
According to the roadmap, apple productivity recorded a negative compound annual growth rate of 0.37 percent between 2020-22 and 2022-23.
At the same time, almond cultivation has been steadily losing ground. NITI Aayog has noted that the area under almond cultivation has fallen by around 10,000 hectares, with the decline becoming especially pronounced in recent years.
The developments come at a time when growers are dealing with changing climatic conditions, increasing production costs, and evolving market demands, adding to the pressure on traditional horticultural practices.
The roadmap notes that further expansion of horticultural land may have limited potential, making productivity enhancement increasingly crucial for the future of the sector.
To address the challenges, NITI Aayog has proposed wider adoption of high-density plantations, improved planting material, better-performing varieties, and modern orchard management practices. It has also stressed the need to strengthen extension services to help farmers adopt newer technologies and cultivation methods.
Improving the post-harvest chain has also been identified as a priority, with the report calling for better storage, processing facilities, and market linkages to increase value addition and improve returns to growers.
The roadmap ultimately calls for a shift in focus from increasing the acreage under horticulture to raising productivity, strengthening value addition, and building greater resilience in J&K’s orchards.
With apples continuing to dominate the sector while almond cultivation contracts, the report underlines the need for targeted interventions to protect the diversity and long-term sustainability of Jammu and Kashmir’s horticulture economy.
