Walnuts are one of the most loved nuts in the entire world. They aren’t just delicious on their own but make for excellent additions to confectionaries as well as various other recipes. But, did you know about where this superfood grows in India? While it grows in Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Arunachal Pradesh, here, we’ll talk about the major walnut producer in India- Kashmir.
Kashmir contributes to a whopping 98% of the total walnut production in India since it has the most favourable conditions for growing these nuts. So, needless to say, Kashmiri walnuts are some of the best in the world, not just taste-wise but also nutrition-wise. The benefits of walnuts are amazing.
Walnut Production in Kashmir
The best part about the Kashmiri walnuts is that they are completely free of synthetic fertilizers or growth boosters and are grown using 100% organic methods. Owing to this, the walnuts that are yielded are of super high-quality and extremely nutritious with multiple health benefits. It is believed that walnuts came to Kashmir from Persia several thousand years ago.
In the valley, 47,507 hectares of land is dedicated to walnut cultivation and 2.6 lakh metric ton of walnuts are cultivated each year.
The process of harvesting walnuts isn’t an easy one as it requires the farmer to climb the tree. When harvest season arrives in Kashmir in the beginning of October, the walnut farmers beat the fruit-bearing branches of the tree with a long stick.
After the walnuts have fallen down, the walnuts are actually encased in green-coloured fruits. These green-coloured fruits then need to be split open to reveal the walnut which is encased in a brown-coloured shell. Then, they are then washed which is mostly done in a flowing stream or river. Then comes the drying process. The walnuts are then dried out for about a week in open fields.
This lengthy process is how the walnuts are harvested in the valley. Additionally, if the walnuts need to be sold without their shells, the next process involves breaking open the shells.
The Distribution and Sales of Walnuts from Kashmir
After the walnuts have been harvested in the valley, they are then distributed to be sold. Out of all the walnuts harvested, about 10 to 15% of them are sold domestically while 85 to 90% are exported.
The Kashmiri walnuts are popular nationwide and are distributed all over the country for sale. Similarly, Kashmiri walnuts are a popular choice in the rest of the world too. They are exported to as many as 20 countries. Germany, France, the UK, Netherlands and UAE are some of the many countries where Kashmiri walnuts are exported in large quantities.
To promote and support the local farmers and get them better returns for their yield, several organizations as well as e-portals have now also started selling these high-quality Kashmiri walnuts online.
Impact of Walnut Industry on Kashmir’s Economy
Being a major producer of walnuts not just in India but also around the world, the walnut industry plays a major role in Kashmir’s economy. Horticulture is the second biggest industry in Kashmir after agriculture. Several thousand families in the valley, especially the ones belonging to the rural areas, are directly or indirectly dependent on the walnut industry for their livelihood.
The industry is a major income generator as well as a job provider industry in the valley. However, in the past few years, the industry has seen a major decline. Even though the demand for Kashmiri walnuts is quite high, its production has gone down in the past few years. There are several factors responsible for this. A walnut tree takes 13 to 15 years to first start yielding walnuts. Not enough trees are being planted and that is one of the major reasons for low production. Rejuvenation of old orchards, encouragement to plant new trees and proper infrastructure is needed to bring back Kashmir’s walnut industry to its former glory.
The turnover of the Kashmir walnut industry in exports for the year 2015-2016 was INR 117.92 crores and 3,292 metric tons of walnuts were exported. However, for the year 2018-2019, only 2,191 metric tons of walnuts were exported and the turnover was INR 66.75 crores.
