Pulwama, March 06: The horticulture sector remains a lifeline for 35 lakh people in Jammu and Kashmir, directly or indirectly supporting 7 lakh families, according to Agriculture Minister Javid Ahmad Dar.
The revelation was made in the Legislative Assembly in response to a starred question by MLA Sirigufwara-Bijbehara Dr. S Bashir Ahmad Veeri.
The minister informed that the horticulture industry is a major driver of J&K’s economy, contributing significantly to employment and revenue generation.
The minister said that various initiatives have been taken to realise this potential which include the High-Density Plantation Scheme, Agricultural Marketing Reforms, and Enhanced Cold Storage Facilities.
The house was informed that since the inception of the High-Density Plantation Scheme in 2016-17, an area of 663 hectares has been covered.
During 2024-25, an additional 173 hectares were brought under this scheme, bringing the total coverage to 836 hectares as of January 2025.
It was further stated that a network of Fruit and Vegetable Markets has been established across J&K.
Currently, 24 mandis are operational, with 13 more under development.
The minister said that 17 mandis have been integrated with the National Agricultural Market (e-NAM) portal, enabling electronic transactions. Over 50,000 farmers and traders have registered on the platform, enhancing efficiency and profitability.
The house was informed about horticultural trade during the past few years.
It was stated that in 2021-22, 1,748.56 quintals were traded with a turnover of ₹0.89 crore.
In 2022-23, the trade volume rose to 92,236.29 quintals, with a turnover of ₹32.72 crore.
The sector witnessed a significant leap in 2023-24, with 6,55,759.16 quintals traded, generating ₹416.08 crore in revenue. By 2024-25, the trade had further expanded to 9,43,464.20 quintals, reaching a turnover of ₹594.17 crore.
The house was informed that nine CA stores are being added to augment storage capacity for fruit crops in J&K.
