Farmers harvest organic walnut but face risks, market hurdles
Srinagar, Sep 09 (KNO): As September unfolds, Kashmir’s walnut season shifts into full swing, not just in Srinagar’s Harwan area but across orchards and wild groves throughout the valley.
In places like Anantnag, Pulwama and Kupwara, farmers also harvest larger tonnes of walnuts, making J&K responsible for over 90% of India’s walnut production.
As per the details obtained by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the major production hubs include Anantnag, Kupwara and Pulwama, along with other key areas such as Shopian, Baramulla, Budgam, Srinagar and Ganderbal.
In Anantnag’s beautiful valleys and Budgam’s orchards, especially in places like Kandiwara, Kokernag and Ashmuqam, walnut harvesting is not just a task, but a seasonal pulse.
The traditional method remains unchanged, as skilled “walnut thrashers” climb trees barefoot, wielding long cedar or willow sticks to knock down the ripe walnuts—a sight repeated across valleys and streamsides, in managed groves and wild patches alike.
“This rustic method carries peril. Climbers often fall from heights of 30–45 metres, risking spinal injuries, paralysis, or even death,” the locals from Srinagar’s Harwan told KNO, while speaking about the risks of this harvest.
They said that once down, walnuts are gathered, de-husked, washed, dried in the sun, and manually shelled, often turning into a community effort involving entire families.
Despite the organic purity and distinct Wonth, Kaghazi, and Barzul varieties, Kashmiri walnuts face diminishing demand as they are now often overshadowed by cheaper, mass-produced imports from California, Chile, and China.
Meanwhile, the growers cite the lack of processing facilities, packaging support, and state-backed market access as key obstacles. They said that in places like Pulwama, many must transport their walnuts to Jammu for sale, adding to labour and logistical costs, yet receiving meagre returns. This time, as the road is closed, that too remained shortened—(KNO)
