Over 15 Lakh Fruit Plants Imported to Jammu Kashmir in Two Years: Agriculture Minister

SRINAGAR: Jammu Kashmir imported more than 15.5 lakh fruit plants over the past two years through empanelled agencies, Minister for Agriculture Production Javid Ahmad Dar informed the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday.

Responding to a question from legislator Shabir Ahmad Kullay, Dar said the bulk of the imports comprised apple varieties such as Gala, Red Delicious, and their improved strains, along with smaller quantities of walnut plants, cherry apple rootstock, and other species.

He further noted that the Leaf Minor pest has witnessed a sharp surge over the past two to three years due to changing climatic conditions, alongside a resurgence of aphid infestation across several parts of the Kashmir Valley.

To address the issue, the Department of Horticulture, in collaboration with SKUAST-Kashmir, has intensified field surveillance, pest monitoring, and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) initiatives. “Community-based IPM approaches are being implemented in hotspot areas, with strategic use of insecticides and bio-control agents, along with cultural practices and public participation,” Dar said.

The minister clarified that blanket aerial spraying of insecticides using drone was not being pursued, citing environmental concerns, fragmented landholdings, and risks to non-target organisms. Instead, the department would follow advisories from SKUAST-K, CITH, and ICAR.

Dar also announced that the Horticulture Department was taking concerted measures to strengthen local nurseries and promote the production of quality indigenous planting material under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP—Project 21) and the JK Competitiveness Improvement Project (JKCIP).

He said financial and subsidy support was being provided for establishing Mother Orchards, Rootstock Banks, and Plant Propagation Units across districts to empower local nursery growers. District-wise targets have been set under schemes such as HADP, Revised Modified High-Density Plantation Scheme (RMHDPS), and JKCIP, with plans to cover 5,500 hectares under high-density plantation in the next ten years, subject to resource availability.