JAMMU, January 31, 2026 — Horticulture in Jammu & Kashmir is undergoing a structural metamorphosis as the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) shifts the region’s apple industry from a seasonal struggle to a high-tech integrated value chain.
Traditionally, J&K’s apple farmers faced “distress sales” due to a lack of scientific grading and storage, but under the Agriculture Production Department’s (APD) Project-21, the focus has shifted to “designer plants” and high-density plantations.
Within just two years, over 1,500 modern units have been established, proving that productivity is no longer tied solely to land size; growers are now reporting higher returns from smaller, high-density layouts characterized by uniform fruit quality and predictable yields.
This “Quiet Revolution” extends far beyond the soil. The HADP has modernized the entire post-harvest infrastructure, bringing scientific grading and Controlled Atmosphere (CA) storage closer to the orchard gate.
This allows farmers to bypass the harvest-time market glut and sell based on real-time price signals. The integration of the Kisan Khidmat Ghar (KKG) digital ecosystem further empowers growers with live Mandi prices and disease forecasting tools, shifting orchard management from reactive to preventive.
The impact is quantifiable: e-NAM transaction values in J&K have skyrocketed from a mere ₹14 lakh in 2021 to over ₹670 crore this financial year, marking a new era where J&K’s apple growers are no longer just farmers, but informed stakeholders in a global market.
