SRINAGAR: Relentless rains and flash floods in Jammu province have unleashed devastation on the agricultural sector, destroying crops across 1.40 lakh hectares of land and leaving more than six lakh farmers in deep distress. Jammu newspaper Daily Excelsior quoted official assessments to suggest that over 90,000 hectares have suffered losses above 33 per cent, with paddy and maize emerging as the worst-hit crops.
District-wise figures highlight the scale of destruction. Udhampur has reported the most extensive losses, with 23,688 hectares of farmland ruined, followed by Jammu (19,441 hectares), Kishtwar (13,280 hectares), Ramban (11,124 hectares), Reasi (12,717 hectares), Doda (10,067 hectares), Kathua (7,671 hectares), Rajouri (3,256 hectares), Samba (320 hectares) and Poonch (216 hectares).
Large swathes of farmland in Garkhal, Pargwal, Khour, Jourian, Pallanwala, Makwal and areas along the Tawi Island have been buried under thick layers of silt carried by overflowing rivers and streams. In Jammu’s kandi belt, maize fields in Birpur, Mandal, Purmandal and Dansal have been flattened by torrential rains and strong winds.
The losses go beyond food crops. Nearly 1,000 hectares each of pulses and fodder have been destroyed, sparking fears of an imminent fodder crisis for livestock.
Agriculture Director Jammu, Anil Gupta, confirmed to the newspaper that an initial survey has been completed and that detailed data collection is underway. “For farmers unregistered under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), claims worth Rs 135 crore have been submitted to the SDRF and are expected to be disbursed within a month. However, registered farmers have been urged to file their claims online for quicker compensation,” he said.
Joint teams from the Agriculture and Revenue Departments have been deployed across the affected districts. Four farmer registration and grievance facilitation centres have also been set up at Badyal Brahmana to fast-track relief measures. “I have issued instructions to the field functionaries to expedite the completion of crop damage assessment reports and submit them to the concerned authorities so that immediate relief measures to support the farmers can be initiated,” Gupta added.
The rains and floods of September 2025 have devastated not just paddy and maize but also fruit crops and orchards across Jammu and Kashmir. With harvest-ready produce washed away and fields submerged, the crisis now threatens not only the livelihood of farmers but also the food and fodder security of the region, making swift Government intervention crucial.
