A high-density plantation scheme introduced by the government in March 2021 might be a game-changer for Kashmir’s walnut industry, which has seen declining revenues for 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, 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.
