SRINAGAR: The number of indebted farmers in Jammu and Kashmir rose from 6.69 lakh in 2023-24 to 8.54 lakh in 2025-26, while their total outstanding agricultural debt increased by nearly 86 per cent to Rs 14,407.48 crore during the three-year period, according to figures placed before the Legislative Assembly.
The average outstanding debt per indebted farmer also increased from Rs 1.15 lakh in 2023-24 to Rs 1.69 lakh in 2025-26, an increase of about 46 per cent, according to district-wise data provided by the Agriculture Production Department.
The figures were given in response to an unstarred question by MLA Peerzada Feroze Ahmad (Devsar) regarding farmer welfare measures, including the extent of agricultural indebtedness, factors contributing to financial distress and measures being taken to ease the burden.
In 2024-25, the number of indebted farmers stood at 8,12,496, with total outstanding agricultural debt of Rs 10,733.21 crore and an average debt of Rs 1,32,101.69 per farmer.
The department’s data shows that agricultural indebtedness increased across a large number of districts between 2023-24 and 2025-26, although the average debt varied substantially from one district to another.
Jammu district recorded the highest total outstanding agricultural debt in 2025-26 at Rs 1,662.63 crore, owed by 70,697 farmers. The average debt per farmer in the district stood at Rs 2,35,176.88.
Baramulla had the second-highest outstanding debt at Rs 1,494.76 crore, involving 73,004 indebted farmers, while Pulwama reported Rs 1,389.36 crore against 62,315 farmers.
Anantnag recorded Rs 1,318.45 crore in outstanding agricultural debt involving 74,679 farmers, the highest number of indebted farmers among the districts listed in the data. Its average debt per farmer stood at Rs 1,76,548.96.
Shopian reported Rs 985.87 crore in outstanding debt involving 45,395 farmers, while Budgam recorded Rs 970.17 crore against 58,928 farmers. Kulgam’s outstanding agricultural debt stood at Rs 882.16 crore for 46,272 farmers.
Among other districts, Kupwara reported Rs 812.17 crore against 51,897 farmers, Kathua Rs 668.86 crore against 56,389 farmers, Rajouri Rs 562.68 crore against 45,966 farmers and Samba Rs 430.98 crore against 29,552 farmers.
Ganderbal recorded Rs 320.01 crore in outstanding agricultural debt involving 21,930 farmers, while Ramban reported Rs 295.32 crore against 23,683 farmers. Kishtwar had Rs 304.53 crore outstanding against 29,632 farmers.
In the remaining districts, Doda reported Rs 374.71 crore against 39,303 farmers, Udhampur Rs 411.86 crore against 41,189 farmers, Poonch Rs 250.70 crore against 24,891 farmers and Reasi Rs 211.45 crore against 21,836 farmers.
Srinagar recorded Rs 717.58 crore in outstanding agricultural debt involving 13,493 farmers, with an average debt of Rs 5,31,816.49 per farmer, the highest average among the districts listed in 2025-26.
The department said the government is implementing several measures to reduce the financial burden on farmers and improve their access to institutional credit. These include the Kisan Credit Card, Interest Subvention Scheme and Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, besides assistance under various Central and UT schemes for agricultural inputs, farm mechanisation, irrigation and other agricultural activities.
It said the Agriculture Production Department also coordinates with financial institutions and field-level functionaries to facilitate access to institutional credit and other eligible financial services.
On the issue of loan waivers, the government said the department had not introduced any loan waiver or debt-relief scheme exclusively for traders. It said financial assistance and support to farmers was being provided under various Central and UT schemes covering agricultural inputs, farm mechanisation, irrigation, crop insurance and other agricultural activities.
The department did not identify a specific major contributing factor for the district-wise indebtedness in the response provided, instead outlining the existing measures aimed at reducing farmers’ financial burden.
On agricultural marketing, the government said it was working to strengthen market infrastructure and improve farmers’ access to buyers and price realisation.
Direct market linkages between farmers and Farmer Producer Organisations and buyers are being promoted to reduce avoidable intermediaries, while FPOs and farmer collectives are being strengthened for aggregation, grading, sorting, packaging and collective marketing.
The government also said e-marketing and digital platforms were being promoted to improve market access and enable more transparent price discovery.
According to the department, these measures are intended to reduce post-harvest losses, improve farmers’ returns and strengthen competitive and transparent marketing mechanisms for agricultural produce.
