Srinagar, March 13 -- Once the backbone of J&K's economy, agriculture is now under severe strain, with official data revealing a steady decline in cultivated land. Urban expansion, erratic weather, and dwindling irrigation sources are accelerating this decline, pushing the region toward greater dependence on food imports.

According to the Financial Commissioner (Revenue), J&K, the net sown area has remained stagnant at around 30-31% of total land over the past four years. In 2020-21, it stood at 736,000 hectares, dipping to 733,000 hectares in 2022-23 before a marginal recovery to 738,000 hectares in 2023-24. At the same time, fallow land-once-cultivated fields now left uncultivated-has surged from 120,000 hectares in 2020-21 to 135,000 ...