J&K Sees Significant Decline in Rice Production, Falling by 154 Thousand Metric Tons Over Six Years

Rice, the staple food of Jammu and Kashmir, is primarily cultivated in the Jammu plains and certain hilly regions. It is the second most cultivated crop in the region after apple production, with about 70% of the population relying on rice farming directly or indirectly. In the financial year 2016, rice production reached an impressive 646.4 thousand metric tons. However, by 2017, production saw a sharp decline of about 74 thousand metric tons. The downward trend continued, and in 2022, production recorded just 492 thousand metric tons—a significant drop of 154 thousand metric tons over six years.