Status of growth in area, production and productivity of major crops in Jammu province of JandK State

Abstract

In the present study, an attempt has been made to analyze the growth on the basis of secondary data in area, production and productivity of major crops in Jammu region for the period from 1984-85 to 2013-14. The comparison has been made over the time to examine the trends and it was observed that in Jammu region rice, maize and wheat crop dominated the area and these crops together occupied more than 84 per cent of gross cropped area during the last three decades. The entire period 1984-85 to 2013-14 found that rice, maize, wheat, millets, condiments and spices, fruits and vegetables, fodder crops had positive area growth while pulses, barley, jawar, bajra, sugarcane, oilseeds and fibers had negative area growth. The production was positive for rice, wheat and pulses and negative for maize whereas as yield was recorded positive for rice, wheat and pulses and negative for maize crop. The study concluded that most of the cultivated land is dominated by cereals groups, therefore, need for crop diversification which ultimately leads to protection of soil health, regular returns, employment opportunities as well as better and balanced diet for the local people in the region.