Balance economy with food security

Kashmir’s shift from paddy cultivation to high-value apple orchards reflects farmers’ desire for better returns from limited landholdings. With rising input costs and comparatively low earnings from rice, the attraction of commercial horticulture is understandable. However, the shrinking paddy area raises an important question: can Kashmir pursue agricultural prosperity without compromising its food security? The economic incentive is evident. A farmer in Kulgam who earned around Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000 annually from nine kanals of paddy land now earns an estimated Rs 4 lakh to Rs 5 lakh from a high-density apple orchard. Such a difference makes diversification towards horticulture difficult to resist. The expansion of apple cultivation has also strengthened the region’s economic prospects and created opportunities for employment and trade. Yet, the decline in paddy acreage cannot be viewed merely as a change in cropping patterns. The area under paddy fell from 304,500 hectares in 2015–16 to 258,840 hectares in 2024–25. Meanwhile, Kashmir continues to depend substantially on rice supplies from outside Jammu and Kashmir. Rising imports underline the vulnerability created when local food production fails to keep pace with requirements. Excessive dependence on apples also carries risks. Hailstorms, diseases, erratic weather and market fluctuations can sharply affect growers’ earnings. If horticultural incomes suffer, dependence on purchased foodgrains could expose households to additional economic pressure. Paddy fields also perform important ecological functions, including retaining water and supporting local hydrological systems. The solution is not to discourage apple cultivation or deny farmers better incomes. Instead, agricultural policy must strike a balance between commercial profitability and food security. Strategically important paddy-growing areas need protection, while improved irrigation, mechanisation and high-yielding, climate-resilient rice varieties can make cultivation more viable. Diversification within horticulture can further reduce dependence on a single crop. Kashmir must nurture its apple economy without sacrificing its rice-growing capacity. Agricultural prosperity will be sustainable only when farmers earn better incomes and the region retains the ability to meet its essential food requirements.