Srinagar, April 13 -- The vision of transforming Jammu and Kashmir's horticulture into a global powerhouse carries both promise and urgency. For decades, the region's orchards, walnut groves, and saffron fields have symbolized abundance, yet the story of growth has remained uneven. Cultivated area has expanded and overall production has risen, but productivity has lagged, leaving farmers with limited gains compared to the potential their land holds. This imbalance underscores why a structured, phased plan is not just desirable but essential.

The proposed roadmap, stretching into mid‑century, signals rare seriousness about continuity. Horticulture is not a sector that can be reshaped overnight: trees take years to mature, irrigation...