Paddy cultivation in the Kashmir Valley is in steady decline, with thousands of hectares of farmland being converted to cash crops or lost to expanding construction. Experts warn that if the current trend continues, the region could lose more than half of its agricultural land within the next decade.
According to official data, Kashmir had nearly 162,000 hectares under paddy cultivation in 2012. By 2023, that area had shrunk by over 33,000 hectares—about 81,249 acres —leaving just 129,000 hectares devoted to rice farming.
Low returns from rice cultivation have led many farmers to shift to apple farming, particularly high-density apple orchards, which offer higher yields and profits.
“A farmer can earn at most ₹20,000 to ₹24,000 from cultivating rice on four kanals of land, while high-density apple farming on the same plot can generate returns several times higher,” said Tariq Rasool, a professor at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST).
Official data suggest that around 800 hectares have already been brought under high-density apple cultivation, with the government aiming to expand this to 5,500 hectares by 2026.
In addition to low profitability, Rasool pointed to unregulated construction as a major contributor to shrinking farmland. “If the current trend continues, the region will lose more than 50 per cent of its agricultural land in the next 10 to 12 years,” he said.
Climate Change
Last week, a video of an elderly farmer manually irrigating his paddy field in Handwara, north Kashmir, went viral amidst a prolonged dry spell. Like much of northern India, the Kashmir Valley has been reeling under unusually high temperatures and a lack of rainfall.
“Our fields are drying up and the situation is getting worse,” said a farmer from Pulwama.
The Union Territory has recorded a 26 per cent rainfall deficit so far this month, with only 29.5 mm of precipitation received until June 18, against the normal average of 39.7 mm.
Climate change is emerging as a significant factor in the shift away from paddy cultivation. Farmers are contending with erratic weather patterns, retreating glaciers, and diminishing traditional water sources. With rice being a water-intensive crop, the changing climate has made it increasingly difficult to sustain.