How high-density scheme can rejuvenate Kashmir’s walnut industry

In a bid to redress at least some of these growing challenges, the government initiated a high-density method of cultivating walnuts in Kashmir. (Representative Image)

The high-density plantation scheme introduced by the government in March 2021 can prove to be a game changer for Kashmir’s walnut industry, which has been on the back foot for many years now.

The J&K government launched the modified high-density plantation scheme for walnuts, along with other fruit crops, to boost Kashmir’s walnut industry, given that the Himalayan region accounts for 95 percent of India’s production of the stone fruit.

Kashmir, once the world’s second largest producer of walnuts, locally known as “doen”, has lost the international market due to low production arising from conventional farming, long gestation period and the Indian government’s decision to reduce the additional duties on walnuts imported from China, Chile and California.

Growers and walnut processing unit holders also blamed the lack of high-quality planting, unorganised orchards, and a long gestation period—the saplings take anywhere from 5-10 years to become fruit-bearing trees—as the main factors to have set the domestic industry back. “We do not have organised walnut orchards here in Kashmir, which is why the crop is no longer commercially viable. The traditional gigantic walnut trees become dry with each passing year, leading to crop depletion,” said Javed Hussain Kumar, who runs a sick walnut-processing unit in south Kashmir’s Pulwama.

Kumar, an MBA graduate from University of Pune, added that the problems that the walnut industry faces has resulted in many other units like his to turn sick.

In a bid to redress at least some of these growing challenges, the government initiated a high-density method of cultivating walnuts in Kashmir. Under this, farmers plant saplings that offer higher yields per tree and an early harvest. Moreover, these plants are insect- and pest-resistant.

Much like in the case of high-density apples, the high density varieties of walnuts are expected to make the industry profitable through superior yields, higher yields per hectare and early harvest.

According to officials of the J&K department of horticulture, with the introduction of insect- and pest-resistant varieties, growers do not have to shell out the large sums on fertilisers and labour that traditional walnuts entail.

“Though high-density framing is at an initial stage in Kashmir, there is a lot to look forward to. For example, if every grower can start planting new walnut varieties within a decade, the orchards will yield an abundant crop and accordingly doubling farmers’ income,” a senior official from the office of Jammu’s horticulture department told Moneycontrol.

He suggested that change in walnut cultivation from traditional to modern methods is the only viable alternative to increase the quality and productivity of walnuts in Kashmir.

Kashmir is agro-climatically highly suited to walnut cultivation. Though the fruit is also grown in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh, J&K has got a near-monopoly, accounting for over 95 percent of the total production and over 85 percent of the area under walnuts. Of the total 108 thousand hectares under walnut cultivation in India, 89,000 hectares fall in J&K. Out of the 299,000 tonnes produced in India, 275,000 tonnes come from J&K.

Javed Ahmad Bhat, chief horticulture officer, Pulwama, told Moneycontrol that this year for the first time high-density walnut saplings were imported from Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey. “After thorough research and discussions, we have imported the walnut plant material mostly from European countries and next year in March growers can plant high-density trees in their orchards,” Bhat said.

The department of horticulture has asked growers to register themselves online and collect both high-density as well as medium-density walnut trees. Bhat said the trees can be planted while checking the feasibility of the land and affordability of a grower. “On 1 acre of land a grower has to make a one-time investment of Rs 4 lakh to Rs 5 lakh for which the government is providing the 50 percent subsidy. The private companies selected by the government can create the high-density walnut orchard while developing the plant material followed by the irrigation and other facilities.”

“The scheme will also provide subsidies to the growers on account of expenditure related to micro-irrigation, plant material, and anti-hail nets. Under the scheme, preference will be given to farmers with landholdings of less than 0.5 acres,” Bhat said.

The government has also decided to implement the farmer-centric scheme for not just walnuts but also for almonds, cherries, litchis and olives over an estimated area of 5,500 hectares of suitable agro-climatic zones for six years, from March 2021 to March 2026.

Bhat said the purpose of setting up high-density walnut orchards is to remove the randomness factor in cultivating the fruit. “Until now walnuts are grown haphazardly in Kashmir and the traditional trees make a large canopy cover, making metres of land barren around them under their shade. The pre- and post-harvesting process of traditional trees also becomes difficult as the trees are tip bearers (as opposed to lateral bearers, where the female flower appears on the tip of lateral shoots) and every year a number of labourers are engaged in harvesting the crop that falls from gigantic trees. The high-density trees, however, are both terminal as well as lateral bearers, which means the pruning can be easily done without affecting the crop quality and the trees won’t make a large canopy cover,” he explained.

Dr Khalid Mushtaq, head division of fruit sciences at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, told Moneycontrol that growing walnuts through high-density trees is the need of the hour since the traditional trees do not yield abundant quality crops. “A lot of research and evaluation is required regarding which high-density variety of walnuts should be cultivated in the Valley. For example, so far the Chandler variety has been proven feasible to grow in Kashmir.”

After incurring losses for many years, the high-density scheme under J&K’s Holistic Agriculture Development Plan has sparked hope in the walnut growers. Many have already started planting high-density trees, without waiting for the government to provide planting material or subsidies.

Bahadur Khan, president, Dry-fruit Growers Association, Kashmir, told Moneycontrol that apart from high density schemes, the government should establish state-of-the-art facilities. “Foreign walnuts have greater demand because of the look of kernels and overall fancy packaging. The walnuts in European countries are produced, processed and packaged to modern standards. On the other hand, the walnuts grown in Kashmir are not just organic but also comparatively nutritious and packed with tremendous health benefits.”

Mushtaq suggested that traditional trees should be axed to accommodate high-density trees as according to him 10 high-density trees can be grown in space one traditional walnut tree occupies. “High-density walnut orchards can only be established only if the government eases the process of removing traditional old trees. The growers find it hard to cut the traditional walnut trees because of the procedures and permissions involved,” he pointed out.

Under the J&K Preservation of Specified Trees Act, 1969, a walnut tree can neither be felled nor pruned, even if it stands on private land, without permission from the revenue department.