Our paddy land is shrinking
Though rice continues to be our main staple food, but the harsh reality is that our very own paddy fields which used to provide us with our daily diet of rice are shrinking at an alarming rate. This means that our dependence for rice is increasing and we are totally dependent on external supplies.
Notably, Kashmir’s vast stretches of paddy fields—once the defining feature of the Valley’s rural landscape—are steadily shrinking, raising alarm among farmers, experts and policymakers about the future of rice cultivation and the region’s long-term food security.
Districts such as Budgam, Pulwama and Kulgam formed the backbone of the Valley’s rice production and were widely known as Kashmir’s paddy bowl. However, large swathes of fertile land in these districts are gradually being converted into residential colonies, commercial establishments and orchards, dramatically altering the traditional agrarian landscape.
The transformation at the ground level has not gone unnoticed. We have many laws that denounce and prevent conversion of agricultural land into habitations and other uses, but these laws have proven insufficient as they lack implementation.
Official data indicates that the area under paddy cultivation in the Valley has declined noticeably in recent years. According to figures from the Agriculture Production Department Jammu and Kashmir, paddy acreage has dropped from about 1.41 lakh hectares in 2020 to nearly 1.30 lakh hectares in 2025, reflecting a reduction of more than 11,000 hectares in just five years.
Agriculture experts attribute the decline to a combination of factors including rapid urbanisation, fragmentation of landholdings, labour shortages and the growing shift towards horticulture crops that offer higher returns.
Historically, rice has been the staple food of Kashmir, and local production once met a significant portion of the Valley’s demand. However, the region now faces a widening gap between production and consumption.
Estimates suggest the region produces around 4.5 lakh tonnes of food grains annually, while the requirement is close to 13 lakh tonnes, leaving a substantial deficit that is met through supplies from other states.
Ironically, in many areas, farmers are converting paddy fields into orchards or selling land used for construction of houses and commercial establishments. This is fetching them good dividends but in the long run such transformations can prove detrimental.
While horticulture is economically beneficial, the decline in paddy cultivation could have serious implications for food security if not addressed.
Surprisingly, the shift toward apple cultivation—one of the Valley’s most lucrative agricultural activities—has particularly accelerated in districts such as Kulgam and Pulwama, where many farmers have replaced traditional rice fields with high-density apple orchards.
Environmentalists warn that the loss of paddy fields is not only an agricultural concern but also an ecological one. Besides producing food, paddy lands play a vital role in groundwater recharge, flood absorption and maintaining ecological balance in the Valley.
With urban expansion continuing around Srinagar and other towns, the need for stricter protection of agricultural land and policies that make paddy farming economically viable need to be framed and implemented strictly. This alone will ensure that we can save some of the land and help to secure food for our posterity.
