With just two percent annual growth in agriculture Jammu and Kashmir has much to achieve in the field to boost Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Except for plain areas land holdings are small and the farmers have not deviated from the conventional agri-cropping methods. There is need for diversification with more emphasis on cash crop cultivation and horticulture which can get good returns to them and making them less depended on external financial support along with area specific approach to boost the declining productivity. In order to achieve a higher growth and higher returns more and more innovations and introduction of weather specific crops are the need of the time. The irony is that State is endowed with varied Agro-climatic zones ranging from sub-tropical to temperate to the high altitude areas, which provides an ideal opportunity for diversification of agricultural activities to boost forestry, horticulture, animal and sheep-husbandry, poultry, fisheries etc although the State depends upon a major share of mutton and poultry products on import from neighbouring states. If tapped in the earnest for connecting the farmers directly with markets it can work wonders for the ailing sector . In the face of declining per hectare agricultural production and productivity for the last two decades there is a need for a pragmatic approach to reforms, augmentation of irrigation infrastructure and potential, introduction of high yielding variety of seeds and introduction of framer-friendly technologies which can help in raising productivity. State has better potential to improve Agri-output but the lethargic attitude of the agencies involved along with prevailing sense of uncertainty and disturbances have stymed the growth which needs to be resolved to bring back the Agri-output.
