J&K horticulture loses nearly Rs 3700 crore annually: NITI Aayog

Srinagar, Aug 31: Jammu and Kashmir is losing horticulture produce worth nearly Rs 3,700 crore after harvest, with apples and vegetables alone accounting for monetary losses of around Rs 3,060 crore, according to a NITI Aayog roadmap for development of the sector.
The findings are part of the recently released “Roadmap for Horticulture Development in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir @ 2047”, which identifies post-harvest losses, inadequate cold-chain infrastructure, limited processing capacity and weak handling and marketing systems among the major challenges facing the region’s horticulture economy.
According to the report, around 5 lakh tonnes of apples are lost after harvest, translating into an estimated monetary loss of Rs 1,500 crore. Vegetables suffer a similar absolute loss of around 5 lakh tonnes, but the estimated financial loss is even higher at Rs 1,560 crore.
Cherries have emerged as the crop suffering the highest percentage of post-harvest losses, with losses estimated at between 40 and 49 per cent. Saffron, despite a relatively small quantity loss of 0.48 tonnes, accounts for an estimated monetary loss of Rs 4.8 crore because of its high value.
The report indicates that the losses are not confined to the farms but occur across the supply chain, with improper handling, inadequate storage, transportation constraints, limited processing facilities and weak marketing systems contributing to wastage.
NITI Aayog says processing of major fruits in J&K remains below one per cent overall. Processing is estimated at only 2–3 per cent for apples, 12–16 per cent for cherries and 30–40 per cent for apricots.
The report also identifies poor cold-chain infrastructure and limited Controlled Atmosphere storage as significant constraints. It calls for stronger post-harvest technology, village-level aggregation hubs, pre-conditioning and packaging facilities, staging cold stores and refrigerated vehicles to reduce wastage.
The scale of the losses assumes greater significance given the importance of horticulture to Jammu and Kashmir’s rural economy. NITI Aayog estimates that the sector provides livelihoods to approximately 3.5 million people and contributes around 6–7 per cent to the UT’s GDP, with annual turnover estimated at about Rs 10,000 crore.
The report also points to a broader productivity problem. While the area under fruit cultivation increased from 1.31 lakh hectares in 1980 to 3.44 lakh hectares in 2022, fruit production increased more than fivefold from 5.6 lakh tonnes to 27.22 lakh tonnes. However, productivity grew at a considerably slower pace, from 4.3 tonnes per hectare to 7.91 tonnes per hectare.
NITI Aayog says this indicates that much of the growth in production has come from expansion of cultivated area rather than substantial productivity gains, while the scope for further expansion of cultivated land is limited.
The report has also flagged declining apple productivity, recording a negative CAGR of 0.37 per cent between 2020-22 and 2022-23, while almond cultivation has recorded a long-term decline in area.
NITI Aayog has proposed a comprehensive intervention framework, including improved varieties and planting material, high-density orcharding, processing clusters, farmer-friendly storage and collection centres, expanded cold-chain infrastructure, stronger market linkages and greater value addition.
The roadmap proposes an integrated mission framework titled “Operation Golden Greens” for the transformation of Jammu and Kashmir’s horticulture sector, with interventions planned through different phases up to 2047.
The report effectively highlights a major economic challenge for J&K’s horticulture sector: a substantial portion of the value generated by farmers is being lost between harvest and the market, underscoring the need for investment not only in production but also in storage, transportation, processing and marketing infrastructure. [KNT]