Srinagar, Oct. 6 -- Home to streams, rivers and springs, Jammu and Kashmir continues to face an irrigation deficit of 58 percent.

According to government data, Jammu and Kashmir's net irrigated area stood at about 3.10 lakh hectares in 2023-24, accounting for only 42% of the net sown area. This indicates that a majority of farmland remains outside assured irrigation coverage, making agricultural output vulnerable to erratic precipitation and prolonged dry spells.

The latest Regional Digest of Statistics shows that the Union Territory had a net irrigated area of 1.10 lakh hectares through canals, springs, wells and other sources in 2024-25, while gross irrigated area exceeded 2.16 lakh hectares.

Data from the Economic Survey indicates s...