Dr Banarsi Lal
Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is endowed with a wide range of agro-climatic conditions which are conducive for growing different kinds of horticultural crops. The agro-diversity of J&K varies from sub-tropical in Jammu region to temperate in Kashmir region. The average annual rainfall of these two regions is 1069 mm and 660 mm. The average temperatures of these two regions are 24.5 and 13.3 Centigrade respectively. Horticulture sector is the backbone of J&K’s economy. There is an immense scope for strengthening various commercial horticultural activities to enhance the income of the farmers. Horticultural sector contributes immensely to strengthen the financial condition of Union Territory of J&K. This is a core sector of Jammu and Kashmir agriculture and about seven lakh families are directly or indirectly engaged in it. This sector also creates employment in other trades such as farm machinery, fruit processing units, pesticides etc. About 20 per cent area of J&K is under horticultural crops. Horticultural sector contributes about Rs 10,000 crore to the annual income of J&K. Area under horticultural crops has also increased steadily. Seventy per cent of total apple production and ninety per cent of dry fruit production in the country produced from J&K. Among the horticultural crops in J&K apple occupies the predominant position constituting about 55 per cent of the total area under fruit crops. Major thrust in horticultural activities is given in hilly areas of J&K. The fruit crops grown in J&K are apple, almonds, walnuts, pears, cherries and apricots in temperate areas and mango, citrus, litchi, ber, papaya, guava etc. in subtropical areas. Saffron cultivation in J&K is unique in the world. The annual production of Saffron in J&K ranges from 10 to 20 tonnes. The J&K government is making strenuous efforts to increase horticultural crops production. SKUAST-J, SKUAST-K and Department of Horticulture are making strenuous efforts to introduce new innovations in the horticultural sector in J&K. Incentives are given to the fruit crops growers to develop fruit orchards in J&K. Subsidy to the extent of 50% of fruit plants and inputs used by the farmer are provided. It has been observed that around 40 lakh tones of fruits are exported annually from the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. In horticultural crops post -harvest losses range from 15-20 per cent. In J&K about 94 per cent of the land holders fall in the category of small and marginal farmers.
Horticultural sector contributes significantly to the economic and ecological development, employment generation, export and nutritional requirement of the people of Jammu & Kashmir. Horticultural crops are adapted to a wide range of climatic conditions, produce higher biomass per unit area as compared to field crops, are more remunerative for replacing subsistence farming and thus may aid in alleviating poverty in difficult agro- ecosystems as rain fed, dry land and hilly areas of J&K. There is also great potential to improve wastelands for productive use in the Union Territory of J&K. If grown commercially horticultural crops can provide employment opportunities round the year to the people of J&K. Increase in demand for horticultural produce due to great health awareness, rising income, export demand and increasing population poses the challenge for further increasing the production and productivity of horticultural crops. The issue of climate change and climate variations has resulted in more uncertainties and risks in this already high capital intensive system. This has resulted in further aggravating the constraints on horticulture production system. The major challenges before us is to have sustainability, higher levels of production, competitiveness to stay in market, regular production, land, water and more importantly threat of climate change. In order to mitigate the above challenges, we need innovations for improving horticultural crops production in J&K.
In order the increase the production, productivity and quality of horticultural crops in J&K, there is dire need to focus on the adoption of innovative technologies developed by our research innovations and development efforts. There should also be attention on reducing the cost of cultivation and increasing the more returns in horticultural sector. In this case natural farming and organic farming can play a significant role in reducing the cost of cultivation and increase in the quality of horticultural crops produce. We should utilize our research and development to increase the fruits and vegetables production. In order to increase the production, productivity and quality of produce and reduction in the cost of production, our research institutes/centers have identified certain key areas and have generated current knowledge in this area which needs to be disseminated to the farmers in a systematic way so that farmers are enabled to increase the area under fruits and vegetables, adopt the modern technologies, use the optimum inputs and achieve the desired demand of horticultural crops. Production of horticultural crops can be increased by increasing the area and by applying the scientific production technology. In J&K it is difficult to increase the area under these crops but still there is possibility to increase the area by adopting the methods such as (a) by utilization of land through inter-cropping/mixed cropping in existing orchards, growing crops in the vacant lands. (b)Development of appropriate varieties of horticultural crops suitable reclaimed wastelands and dry land regions. (c) Adoption of cost effective poly house technology. (d) High density planting by reduction in planting by reduction in planting distance or by use of plant growth inhibitors and dwarfing rootstocks in crops like mango, citrus, banana, apple and some other fruits. Productivity can be increased by bringing maximum possible area in a systematically drawn plan of five years under high yielding or rejuvenating the already existing orchards along with full package of innovative practices. It can help in improving the quality of produce and reduction in the cost of cultivation. In the conventional methods of crop improvement both desirable and detrimental genes get transferred from parents. The modern biotechnology system helps to insert single or more than two desirable genes into the crop. Traits can be modified through the genetic engineering that helps to increase productivity and improve the nutritional quality. This technique helps production of uniform size, shape, size and colour of horticultural crops. Micro-propagation is the most popular technique for production in the world and supply of identical plants. Propagation technique through tissue culture and molecular indexing for culture of diseases are of immense use in making available healthy and quality planting material. Micro propagation protocol has been developed in various horticultural crops such as banana, grape strawberry etc. In present era farm mechanization is very much helpful in reducing the cost of labour and conducting timely farm operations efficiently and effectively. For mechanizing cultivation of horticultural crops, implements have been designed for the use of horticultural crops growers. Integrated pest and disease management helps us to judiciously use the plant protection methods viz. cultural, biological, chemical, physical/mechanical or regulatory control methods. Micro-irrigation and fertigation techniques need to be popularized among the horticultural crops growers of J&K. Under this system, water is applied at a low rate for a longer period at frequent intervals. Greenhouse technology can modify the environment for optimum plant growth and production of uniform and high quality horticultural crops produce. Organic farming contributes in improving the quality of horticultural crops which have high potential export market. Major components of organic farming are addition of organic manures, adoption of crop rotations and enhancement of soil fertility through biological fixation of nitrogen. Proper post-harvest management reduces the post-harvest losses by proper handling and packaging and adoption of suitable low cost storage infrastructures. There is need to establish the quality control laboratories to ensure the exporters that commodities being exported get international standards. Research institutions should also take lead role in providing the proven technologies to the horticultural crops growers and demonstrate the effectiveness of technologies on horticultural crops growers’ fields for the final adoption.
(The author is Head, KVK Reasi, SKUAST-J).
