SRINAGAR — The horticulture sector in Jammu and Kashmir is facing mounting pressure as valuable apple orchards and farmland are increasingly cleared for residential and commercial development. The trend comes at a critical time when local farmers are shifting toward high-density plantations to boost production and incomes from smaller landholdings.
Horticulture remains a vital economic pillar for the region, contributing roughly 7 percent to Jammu and Kashmir’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) while serving as a primary source of employment and income. However, the conversion of productive agricultural plots into houses, shopping complexes, and commercial units threatens this foundation.
Tariq Ahmad, an apple cultivator, noted that individuals are cutting down apple trees to establish Controlled Atmosphere Storages and other commercial facilities. Once an orchard undergoes conversion, bringing the land back into agricultural use proves extremely difficult, he added.
Data from NITI Aayog reflects a broader pressure on land resources, showing that the area categorized as put to non-agricultural uses expanded by 1,000 hectares between the 2020-21 and 2023-24 periods. While this broad category does not specifically isolate orchard conversions, localized studies illustrate the extent of the shift.
Around Srinagar, urban expansion has progressively consumed horticultural land over decades. A satellite imagery-based land-use study revealed that Srinagar’s built-up footprint expanded by 3,835 hectares between 1980 and 2012. During the same timeframe, approximately 258 hectares of plantation and orchard land were directly converted into built-up areas, while overall losses to built-up zones, parks, gardens, and vacant land totaled 689 hectares.
This loss of arable acreage complicates investments made by growers into high-density farming. Such agricultural upgrades require substantial capital outlays for specialized saplings, modern irrigation systems, and physical support infrastructure. Consequently, permanent land conversion presents a significant risk to growers and the broader rural economy.
Addressing the regulatory framework, Director Horticulture Vikas Anand stated that horticultural land may be converted for construction up to 18 marlas without requiring change-of-land-use permission. For developments exceeding 18 marlas, formal approval must be secured from the respective Deputy Commissioners.
Beyond the loss of individual trees, farmers emphasize that every converted parcel diminishes the contiguous land available for future cultivation. A collective of local growers warned that unplanned commercial development could generate adverse knock-on effects for neighbouring fruit-growing regions across the Valley.
"The conflict between commercial real estate development and agricultural preservation is a critical economic challenge. When productive agricultural land—which significantly contributes to the regional GSDP—is permanently converted, it threatens long-term sustainability and the livelihoods dependent on it. Sustainable regional growth requires strict adherence to land-use regulations and careful urban planning to balance economic expansion with the protection of vital sectors like horticulture." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes
