Uttarakhand - Department of Land Resources

2.21 lakh hectares producing 3.01 lakh MT with a productivity of 13.61 quintals /
hectare.
Farming in hills is varied to that of plains. It requires set of package of practices,
which are area and crop specific.
Area under cultivable wasteland is around 3.22 lakh hectares.
Overall cropping intensity in the state is around 161%.
In the plain areas there is excessive use of fertilizers & mono cropping resulting in
low humus content in the soil. Thereby affecting the physio – chemical & biological
properties of the soil. In hills, excessive slope washes away top soil reducing humus
content of top soil thereby reducing the water holding capacity of the soil.
Excessive use of fertilizers and in the plains agriculture increases the cost of
production of the crops resulting in lower profits to the farmers.
Lack of research in traditional crops such as Jhingora, Ramdana, Rajma, Fafar,
Oggal etc in the hills, which have a substantial growth potential.
Seed replacement rate have been negligible in hills though few varieties of major
crops have been developed by lab. There is a paucity of certified seeds in the state
available to the farmers.
Lack of quality control labs in the state, which could check the quality of pesticides,
fertilizers etc.
The state lacks in quantity and quality of bio-fertilizers to augment the farming in the
state.
Lacks in the marketing facility of the produce.
Loss of crops because of natural calamities
The diversity of varied agro-climatic conditions in the state is not tapped as yet.
Women work force in agriculture constitutes nearly 80 percent of the workforce.
Lack of suitable farm equipment and machinery for hills.
54