Agro-Economist

This study employs a comprehensive analysis to assess the fruit production landscape in the Northwestern Himalayas vis-à-vis Jammu and Kashmir, utilizing data from the Agricultural Department and the Statistical Digest of the region (Anonymous, 2022b). The methodology integrates QGIS mapping and mathematical formulas to determine surplus and deficit areas. Districts are individually mapped based on key fruits, and a combined overview is derived for the entire Union Territory. Color-coded symbology, including violet circles for production levels, green for surplus, and red for deficit, visually represents fruit concentrations on maps. The study reveals pronounced disparities in fruit distribution across Kashmir, with Apple exhibiting the highest surplus in all the 10 districts of Kashmir followed by Walnut except Srinagar which exhibits a deficit scenario in all the fruits. In contrast, the Jammu region predominantly faces deficits in all kinds of fruits. Kashmir, with nine surplus districts except Srinagar, emphasizes the need for strategic interventions, including value addition, storage capacity augmentation, cold-chain technologies, infrastructure investment, and awareness campaigns. The study advocates for transforming surplus vegetables into value-added products and formulating district-specific policies to address post-harvest losses in the fruit supply chain. This research contributes valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders to enhance fruit production dynamics, promote sustainability, and optimize resource allocation in the Jammu and Kashmir region.