The Horticulture Department in Jammu Kashmir has proposed to remove the ban on cutting of walnut trees in the Kashmir Valley.
The proposal will be the first after the 1969-ban when the Jammu Kashmir Preservation of Specified Trees Act was imposed for the prevention of cutting, as well as pruning, of walnut trees, even if they are on private land.
The Department as per news reports has submitted a written proposal to the administrative officials for the removal of the 52-year-old ban.
This has raised serious apprehensions among the people associated with the Walnut industries The walnut furniture industry of Kashmir is internationally renowned and used to be exported to the Gulf Countries, the USA, and the UK. The industry, though is witnessing a gradual decline.
As per experts, the valley has a much old variety of walnut trees, that other than occupying massive space take nearly 12 years to yield fruit.
Stats reveal that in the year 2013-14, walnuts worth Rs 1,043 crore were exported from Kashmir, however, it dropped to Rs 341 crore in 2017-18,” the figures reveal.
Pertinently, Kashmir produces over 2.66 metric tons of walnuts which is around 90 percent of walnut production in India and around 89000 hectares of land under walnut cultivation in the Valley.