DELHI: Farmers in Jammu and Kashmir are carrying a significant debt burden, with the average outstanding loan per agricultural household standing at Rs 30,435, according to the latest available data from the National Statistics Office (NSO). The survey, conducted by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) in 2019, also found that 31.9 per cent of agricultural households in the region are in debt, a figure that highlights the financial distress among those dependent on farming.
While the debt burden in Jammu and Kashmir is lower than in states like Punjab (Rs 2,03,249) and Haryana (Rs 1,82,922), it remains a concern given the region’s economic challenges. At the same time, the average monthly income of an agricultural household in the region is Rs 18,918—one of the highest in northern India, surpassing states like Himachal Pradesh (Rs 12,153), Uttar Pradesh (Rs 8,061), and Madhya Pradesh (Rs 8,339). However, the absence of updated figures since 2019 makes it difficult to assess whether farmers’ financial conditions have improved or worsened in the past five years.
The Central Government has been implementing various schemes aimed at supporting farmers, including:
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) – Provides Rs 6,000 per year in direct income support to farmers.
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) – Offers crop insurance against natural calamities.
Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS) – Helps reduce interest rates on agricultural loans.
Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) – Encourages efficient water usage for irrigation.
Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) – Supports the development of farm-related infrastructure.
While these schemes provide financial assistance to agricultural workers, the government does not maintain a centralised record of how many farmers in Jammu and Kashmir have benefited from them.
Jammu and Kashmir’s agricultural sector faces unique challenges, including difficult terrain, climate-related risks, and limited access to institutional credit. Farmers often rely on informal sources of credit, which come with high-interest rates, further exacerbating their financial burden. Additionally, the impact of recent economic disruptions, including the COVID-19 pandemic, remains largely undocumented in official surveys.
Experts argue that a fresh assessment of farmers’ financial conditions is necessary to design more effective interventions. The lack of updated data on income levels and debt accumulation makes it difficult to gauge the true economic situation of agricultural workers in the region. Many farmers continue to struggle with loan repayments, and unless targeted relief measures are introduced, the situation could deteriorate further.
With agriculture being a vital part of Jammu and Kashmir’s economy, policymakers will need to focus on ensuring better credit access, strengthening price support mechanisms, and expanding financial assistance to farmers to reduce their debt burden in the coming years.
