Statistical evaluation of inter-district disparities in the developments of agricultural sector in Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir possesses a significant agricultural heritage, with agriculture playing a crucial role in the socio-economic advancement of the region. Consequently, the examination of agricultural progress in Jammu and Kashmir is of paramount importance. This study endeavours to assess agricultural development at the district level within Jammu and Kashmir over a six-year period from 2012 to 2018. A composite development index was created utilizing principal component analysis, incorporating 31 indicators across the 22 districts of J & K. The findings revealed considerable disparities in agricultural development at the district level, with Anantnag district exhibiting the highest agricultural development index, while Ramban district displayed the lowest. The districts were categorized into three classifications: highly developed, moderately developed, and underdeveloped, based on the composite index. To ascertain the determinants influencing agricultural development among districts, a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted. The outcomes of the MANOVA indicated that ten specific indicators, namely the percentage of net sown area to total reported area, acreage dedicated to rice, land for fruit and vegetables, area allocated for apple cultivation, fresh fruit area, dry fruit area, apple production, walnut yield, total fresh fruit output, and total dry fruit output significantly impact agricultural development across the districts in Jammu and Kashmir. Consequently, in order to achieve truly inclusive growth in the J & K, policy officials must work even harder. To ensure that the agriculture sector develops in a balanced manner, the districts which were underdeveloped should continue to be givenprimary focus.