Over 91,000 agriculture units set up in J&K as HADP rollout accelerates

Over 91,600 agricultural units have been established across Jammu and Kashmir under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) since its launch in March 2024, with more than 75,000 units monitored through the Output Tracking App (OTA), a senior government official said on Monday.

HADP, the flagship initiative of the J&K government, aims to overhaul the agricultural sector through 29 projects focused on seed quality improvement, niche crop cultivation, mechanisation, and market linkages.

Managing Director, HADP, Sandeep Kumar said the programme has generated 1.34 crore person-days of employment, positioning agriculture as a major source of rural livelihood. He said the initiative has also delivered strong financial results, generating Rs 298 crore in total revenue and Rs 126 crore in profits for unit holders across various sectors. He was briefing a meeting chaired by chief secretary Atal Dulloo.

The meeting conducted an activity-wise, outcome-based review of all 29 ongoing projects aimed at strengthening the agriculture, horticulture and livestock sectors in a structured and time-bound manner, an official said.

Officials said 82 per cent of the units are fully operational and tracked, with 14,000 new units added since the last review held in August. The meeting also noted the increasing use of the Daksh Kisan Portal for farmer training. The platform has registered over 3.5 lakh farmers, with 2.6 lakh enrolled in skill-based courses and 2.1 lakh trained in modern agricultural techniques.

In vegetable production, 7,976 exotic vegetable units have been set up, adding 1.95 lakh metric tonnes to annual output, the official said. Milk production has reached 39 lakh metric tonnes, while mutton production stands at 380 lakh kilograms.

Trout fish farming has recorded production of 2,650 metric tonnes with the establishment of 635 raceways. Officials added that 20,800 modern farm machinery units have been distributed, reducing manual labour and improving efficiency in the field.

The promotion of high-value and niche crops has led to the production of 207.8 metric tonnes of planting material, including saffron and kala zeera, across Jammu and Kashmir. Technology platforms such as OTA and the Kisan Sathi Portal have improved real-time monitoring, transparency and accountability in programme implementation.

During the meeting, the chief secretary emphasised the need to achieve tangible outcomes by ensuring the establishment of targeted units under each project. He directed the department to rigorously track every unit for productivity, sustainability and success, stating that performance indicators must define implementation. He also asked the Agriculture Production Department to prepare a roster of senior officers for frequent field visits for on-ground assessment and real-time feedback.