Sheikh Nadeem
The season of harvesting the Kashmir walnuts began throughout the valley. The growers started plucking the walnuts from trees. The process has started a week before, by beating the walnuts with the long bamboo sticks.
The walnuts in the Kashmiri language are also known as “Douen”. These walnuts have a huge demand among tourists for their superior taste and quality.
Walnut production is the major part of the Kashmir’s economy. They are certified as organic and posses calorific value. In October and November, walnut growers peel the walnuts to export them to the other states.
Due to the disruption in domestic supply last year, walnuts were imported. The traders in India imported walnuts from the United States (US) and Chile. Kashmir produces around 90% of the walnuts that are grown in India. It was facing communication blockade since the abrogation of Article 370.
According to the growers in Kashmir, the production of the walnut crop in Kashmir has increased in comparison to the last few years. Its production is also the backbone of Kashmir economy.
The picking would start in this month and vary depending on the variety.
Kashmir valley produces 2.66 lakh metric tonnes of walnuts. It accounts to over 90 per cent of the total production of the country. More than 89,000 hectares of land is under the walnut cultivation in the valley.
Hopes for the next Season
Last year post the abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir, the walnut industry saw a major loss. This year the growers hope to overcome the loss faced last year.
“Prices were too low compared to kernels imported from the other countries. Last month domestic walnut kernels were selling at Rs 700 to 750 per kilogram. Walnuts from US and Chile were selling at Rs 900 per kilogram,” a walnut dealer, Bashir Ahmed told The Kashmiriyat.
As per traders and commission agents, 85 per cent of walnut kernel production comes from Kashmir to meet the demands of domestic markets. However, the supply was badly hit the last season.
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“We could have sold the fresh supply of walnuts up to Rs 380 per kilogram in Jammu. The same walnut was sold at Rs 850 to 900 per kilogram in last season,” Abdul Rashid, a walnut trader from Qazigund in South Kashmir said.
“One could easily see huge stock of walnut crop along with hull lying almost in every household. Due to the curfew and the communication blackout aftermath of August 05 last year, farmers did not process the crop. The trade was nearly killed the last year. The demand picks up with the onset of the Navratras in the last week of September. This season we expect to overcome the losses we faced the last year,” Arshis, a walnut grower from Kupwara told The Kashmiriyat.