Jammu and Kashmir has secured 79 projects under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), collectively valued at Rs 885.45 crore. These projects involve loans amounting to Rs 589.47 crore, aimed at supporting agri-entrepreneurs across the Union Territory. This development was disclosed by the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ram Nath Thakur, provided these figures in a written response to a Lok Sabha question on Tuesday. The data, current as of July 15, 2026, also indicated that Ladakh had one AIF project sanctioned for an agri-entrepreneur, with a loan of Rs 0.35 crore and a total project cost of Rs 0.46 crore.
Nationally, the AIF has seen a substantial uptake, with 71,208 projects sanctioned specifically for agri-entrepreneurs out of a total of 2,08,828 projects across various beneficiary categories by the specified date. The aggregate loan amount sanctioned nationally to agri-entrepreneurs reached Rs 62,533.07 crore, against a total project cost of Rs 1,16,139.02 crore.
The 79 projects in Jammu and Kashmir represent approximately 0.11 per cent of the total AIF projects allocated to agri-entrepreneurs nationwide. In terms of project numbers, the Union Territory ranks among those with a lower count, with Ladakh having the fewest, having one project sanctioned.
Data compiled by the Ministry shows that Jammu and Kashmir’s project allocation is significantly below the national average of around 2,293 projects per State and Union Territory among the 31 regions listed. Ladakh’s single project also falls far below this average.
States such as Madhya Pradesh have recorded a significantly higher number of projects for agri-entrepreneurs, with 12,328 projects sanctioned. Punjab followed with 9,864 projects, and Maharashtra with 7,255 projects. The Ministry’s response did not differentiate between specific beneficiary types like Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), cooperatives, start-ups, or individual agripreneurs for Jammu and Kashmir or Ladakh.
For comparative context, Maharashtra had 7,255 projects sanctioned exclusively for agri-entrepreneurs, supported by loans totaling Rs 6,581.24 crore and project costs amounting to Rs 11,571.03 crore. Across Maharashtra, a total of 17,646 AIF projects were sanctioned, focusing on post-harvest management infrastructure and viable farming assets, with loans of Rs 10,603.78 crore.
The Ministry further detailed that in Maharashtra, 9,212 projects covering essential infrastructure like warehouses, cold storage, cold-chain facilities, sorting, grading, and packaging units, along with primary processing centres, were approved. An impact assessment conducted by the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, in 2025, highlighted the significant employment generation and reduction in post-harvest losses attributed to AIF-supported units. The assessment found that each AIF unit supported, on average, 12-13 direct jobs during peak seasons, six direct jobs during lean months, and 19 indirect jobs through related linkages. Furthermore, AIF interventions were found to reduce post-harvest losses by an average of 5-15 per cent through enhanced storage, processing, and mechanisation systems.
The scope of the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund has been broadened to include integrated primary and secondary processing projects and viable farming assets such as polyhouses, mushroom cultivation, and hydroponics. The scheme also facilitates convergence with the PM-KUSUM Component-A and extends credit guarantee support to eligible FPOs. The credit guarantee coverage period for PACS warehouse and godown projects has been extended from 2+5 years to 2+8 years.
To further promote the scheme’s objectives, the Ministry stated that awareness, outreach, and capacity-building initiatives are actively being undertaken. These activities aim to foster value addition, minimize post-harvest losses, and ultimately improve the income levels of farmers across the country.
The Chenab Times News Desk