Introduction
Agriculture is the main occupation for the people of Jammu & Kashmir. About 80% of the people are dependent on agriculture
for their livelihood. The state is basically a mono-cropped and
rain-fed economy with 40% area in the Jammu division and 60% in Kashmir
division. The major crops include rice, maize and wheat. The
productivity level of paddy is about 40 quintals per hectare in Kashmir valley which is the highest in the country.
In recent time, the farmers of Kashmir valley have introduced
cropping wheat, oil seeds and other cash crops. In Jammu, farmers are
raising paddy as an additional crop. Another innovation was the introduction
of mushrooms which has yielded good profit to the farmers. Of the
produce, 90 percent is canned and exported from the state, under the
guidance and supervision of the agriculture department, Govt. of Jammu & Kashmir.
Land cultivation in J&K
Rice
Rice is a Kharif crop grown in the state of J & K between
March-April and harvested in autumn. Total area under rice cultivation
in the valley of Kashmir is 374000 acres having a yield of 25.5 quintals
per acre.
Wheat
It
is a Rabi crop sown in August and harvested in March or April. It
requires a cool and moist climate in the beginning and dry at the time
of harvesting. Important wheat producing areas are Kathua,
Ranbirsingpora, Samba and Reasi. In Kashmir, wheat is grown like grass.
Total area under wheat cultivation in Jammu region is 31000 acres, in Kashmir 78000 acres and in Ladakh 7000 acres.
Maize
Maize
is sown in the month of May/July and harvested in August/September. The
crop requires hot dry climate with rainfall varying from 75cm to 125
cm. It is cultivated on Karewa lands in the valley of Kashmir on about 303,000 acres of land.
Other important crops in the state include tobacco, pulses and rape seed etc.
Horticulture in J&K
The climate
of Kashmir is favourable for the production of fruits. Production of
fruits like apples, pears, cherries, plums, grapes, pomegranates,
mulberry, peaches, apricots, walnuts and almonds is common in the
territory.
About 20 percent of the total cultivated area is
under horticulture crop. About 4.5 lakh families are engaged directly or
indirectly with horticulture activities. In physical terms, the area
under fruit cultivation is about 1.73 lakh hectares by the end of the
Seventh plan period. The total fruit production in the state was 9.10
lakh tonnes in 1995-96. Fruit export was to the tune of 7.10 lakh tonnes
in this period.
Silk and wool are also obtained in good
quantity. Silk is obtained from silk worms which feed on mulberry trees
and wool is obtained from sheep. Good varieties of sheep have been
imported from Australia for breeding purposes.