The marketing of fruits in Jammu and Kashmir remains largely traditional, dominated by contractors and commission agents, limiting returns for growers, according to a NITI Aayog report outlining a roadmap for horticulture development in the Union Territory by 2047.
The report said a significant share of produce is routed through intermediaries at both pre- and post-harvest stages, with estimates suggesting that 67-82 per cent of fruits are sold through contractors, while only 8-27 per cent reach markets via wholesalers. This structure, it noted, restricts direct market access and weakens farmers’ bargaining power.
Farmers say the system leaves them with little control over pricing or sales.
“We have no direct access to markets. Everything goes through contractors or middlemen. They decide the price, not us,” said Tariq Ahamd, a fruit grower in south Kashmir, adding that they have been pushing for Minimum Support Price (MSP) for decades.
Abdul Rashid, another farmer, said intermediaries take away a major share of earnings by the time the produce reaches wholesale markets.
“By the time our apples reach the mandi, middlemen have already taken most of the margin. We are left with very little,” he said.
Little headway
Despite national initiatives such as the electronic National Agriculture Market (eNAM), farmers continue to depend on conventional channels. The report attributed this to factors such as easy access to informal credit from intermediaries, including arthiyas, and limited marketable surplus.
“We hear about online markets and government schemes, but on the ground nothing has changed for us,” another farmer said.
Marginal farmers also pointed to financial dependence on local traders, which forces early and often distressed sales.
“We cannot afford to wait or store produce. We need immediate cash, so we sell to whoever comes first,” a grower said.
Storage facilities, networks
To address these challenges, the report called for strengthening farmer collectivisation through Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), self-help groups (SHGs) and primary agricultural credit societies (PACS). These institutions can help aggregate produce and enable farmers to access more competitive markets.
It also stressed the need for investment in storage facilities and cold chain networks, describing them as critical to reducing post-harvest losses and improving supply chain efficiency.
Alongside infrastructure, the report emphasised promoting direct marketing channels such as FPOs, cooperatives, farmer markets, e-commerce platforms and tie-ups with organised retailers. These measures, it said, could reduce dependence on intermediaries, improve price realisation and expand market access for growers.
The report concluded that modernising marketing systems and strengthening institutional support would be key to unlocking the full potential of the horticulture sector, a major contributor to livelihoods in Jammu and Kashmir.
Published on April 27, 2026