The total agricultural area in Uttarakhand has declined by nearly 16% since the state's formation in 2000, the state government informed the assembly in a written reply.
The net sown area — the land actually cultivated with crops — has declined from 7.70 lakh hectares in 2000 to 5.27 lakh hectares at present, while fallow land — agricultural land left uncultivated for a period — has increased from 1.07 lakh hectares to 2.08 lakh hectares, the reply read.
The government attributed the decline to urbanisation and increasing demand for residential and industrial purposes leading to changes in land use.
However, the government said it is implementing several schemes for farmers, including the State Millet Policy, Very Intensive Apple Horticulture Scheme, Kiwi Policy, Dragon Fruit Policy, and Mehak Kranti Policy for aromatic farming, along with various centrally sponsored and state-sector schemes.
