Rs 12.28 Lakh Compensation Disbursed to Farmers Hit by Weather Damage: Javid Dar

SRINAGAR: Minister for Agriculture Production, Javid Ahmad Dar, on Monday informed the Legislative Assembly that Rs 12.28 lakh has been disbursed to farmers affected by natural weather vagaries that hit various parts of Jammu and Kashmir in September 2025.

He said the total compensation calculated for eligible losses under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) norms stands at Rs 152.37 lakh, of which Rs 12.28 lakh has already been distributed.

Responding to a Calling Attention Motion moved by MLA Hilal Akbar Lone regarding compensation to farmers affected by the highway blockade, Dar said that despite the temporary disruption of road connectivity along the National Highway-44 due to heavy rains and landslides, the government ensured the uninterrupted transportation of apple produce from the Kashmir Valley to major markets outside the Union Territory.

“During the road-blocked period, 1,25,376 apple boxes worth Rs 10.03 crore were dispatched by train from Budgam and Anantnag to Jammu and Adarsh Nagar, Delhi. Up to October 23, around 14,000 metric tonnes (9 lakh boxes) have been transported from various fruit and vegetable markets of the Valley through rail services,” he said.

He further informed that floods and landslides had damaged 431.091 hectares of crop area, with losses exceeding 33 percent. The government, he assured, remains committed to supporting the farming community and has undertaken measures under the Re-structured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS).

Under RWBCIS, apple, saffron, mango, and litchi crops have been notified for insurance cover, and the tendering process for selecting an insurer from the Government of India’s empanelled companies is underway. Dar highlighted that Kashmir, being the leading apple-producing region in India, contributes significantly to national output, with production for 2025 estimated at 22.15 lakh metric tonnes. Of this, around 14 lakh metric tonnes are exported, while the remainder is consumed locally, stored in controlled atmosphere (CA) facilities, or lost due to perishability and handling.

“At the time of the road blockage, only 22,000 MT—about one percent—remained stranded on NH-44, while the larger portion of the produce continued to move out in phases,” he said.

To mitigate transport disruption, the government permitted six-tyre trucks to use the Mughal Road, established a control room at Qazigund for monitoring movement, and advised farmers to defer harvesting or store produce in CA facilities until highway restoration.

Dar said that heavy rainfall and landslides on August 26–27 and September 2–3 damaged NH-44, washing away stretches of the carriageway and disrupting fruit supply chains.