Pulwama : In the lush, fertile lands of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, the village of Patalbagh has emerged as a beacon of agricultural innovation and economic vitality.
Situated on the banks of river Jhelum along the Srinagar Jammu national highway, Patalbagh has distinguished itself as a major player in the vegetable market of Jammu and Kashmir, with a particular focus on the cultivation of peas.
Peas, or Pisum sativum, serve dual purposes as both pulses and vegetables. Patalbagh, with its advantageous geographic location and fertile soil, has capitalized on this versatile crop, making a significant mark in the state’s vegetable market.
Over the past few years, the farmers of Patalbagh have turned to commercial pea cultivation with remarkable success, reaping substantial financial rewards.
Irshad Ahmad, a young and enthusiastic farmer from Patalbagh, exemplifies this success. Ahmad has been cultivating peas for several years and proudly shares that their village now holds a significant share in the vegetable market of Jammu and Kashmir.
With ambitions to expand their reach to different Indian states, Ahmad explains, “We produce peas in April, which coincides with high demand in states like Bangalore.”
This strategic timing has proven lucrative; this season, Patalbagh farmers sold peas for prices ranging from ₹25 to ₹50 per kilo.
The fertility of Patalbagh’s soil plays a crucial role in these successful harvests.
Ahmad emphasizes that with proper guidance from the agriculture department, the village could further enhance its vegetable production.
He also expresses hope that better support would deter farmers from growing banned crops like poppy, which are used to produce narcotic derivatives.
Patalbagh is home to approximately 100 families who collectively cultivate peas on 350 kanals of land.
Mushtaq Ahmad, another dedicated farmer, details the economic benefits of pea cultivation. “We earn around ₹20,000 per kanal from pea produce.
“After deducting ₹5,000 for labor, seeds, and fertilizers, we still make a profit of ₹15,000 per kanal,” he said. Mushtaq urges other farmers to shift to vegetable cultivation, highlighting its profitability and legality.
Typically, pea cultivation in Kashmir occurs in two main sowing seasons: October to November and March to April, with harvesting in May and June.
However, Patalbagh’s farmers have also ventured into unconventional practices, such as sowing seeds in the second week of August.
They advise starting in July to ensure a September harvest, noting the challenges of maintaining adequate moisture during the hot month of July to prevent crop damage. Despite their innovative approaches and hard work, Patalbagh’s farmers faced challenges this year due to a lower cultivation area resulting from the previous year’s low demand.
Nonetheless, Patalbagh harvested around 2000 quintals of peas this season.
The market was comparatively better than the previous year, leading to a successful pea crop.
The farmers revealed that with strategic planning, innovative practices, and support from agricultural authorities, Patalbagh continues to thrive as a top producer of peas and garlic in Kashmir, contributing significantly to the region’s economy and setting an example for sustainable and profitable farming.
District agriculture officer Pulwama, Mohammad Iqbal Khan, stated that around 590 hectares of land are cultivated with pea vegetables in Pulwama, with the district producing around 6195 tons.
However, as peas are supplied in bulk to the market, the demand started contracting, causing a dip in prices—a worrying trend for farmers in areas still in the process of harvesting the crop.
