By Bilal Bahadur
Srinagar: Rice cultivation is an integral component of rich cultural heritage in Kashmir valley. The crop is grown on 100% irrigated ecology and melting snow is the source of irrigation. The crop is grown in all districts of the valley.
Being a staple food of the valley, it is a primary source of calories in people’s diet compared to wheat and maize. The Autumn season marks the paddy harvesting period in Kashmir, and around thousands of tonnes of rice are produced annually in the region. This crop has the distinction of being the most extensively cultivated in Jammu and Kashmir State. Rice has an extensive range of cultivation and can be grown in the warm months of summer.
In the higher altitudes of mountains, where the temperatures are generally mild even during the summer season, the growing period is more prolonged and the ripening and harvesting get delayed. The soils on which rice can be grown are so varied that it can be said that there is hardly any type of soil in which it cannot be grown.
