Srinagar, Aug. 31 -- Srinagar- Apple productivity in Jammu and Kashmir has recorded a decline while almond cultivation has witnessed a significant contraction, even as the region's overall fruit production has grown more than fivefold since 1980, according to a NITI Aayog roadmap for development of the horticulture sector.

The findings are part of the "Roadmap for Horticulture Development in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir @ 2047", which examines the changing structure, productivity and challenges facing the Union Territory's horticulture economy.

According to the report, the area under fruit cultivation increased from 1.31 lakh hectares in 1980 to 3.44 lakh hectares in 2022, while fruit production rose from 5.6 lakh tonnes to 27.22 lakh to...