SRINAGAR, SEPT 18: Walnut cultivation in Kashmir can generate substantial returns for growers, but high labour dependence, productivity constraints and limited access to technical support continue to pose challenges, according to a study based on field data from four south Kashmir districts.
The study, based on data collected from 240 walnut growers in Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian, examined the economics and profitability of walnut production during the 2018-19 agricultural season.
The researchers found that walnut cultivation generated Rs 5.35 in returns for every rupee spent, recording a cost-benefit ratio of 1:5.35.
For orchards with around 80 walnut trees per hectare, production was estimated at approximately 3,560 kg per hectare, while the total cost of cultivation stood at Rs 83,825 per hectare.
The corresponding gross return was estimated at Rs 5.31 lakh per hectare, while the net return stood at around Rs 4.48 lakh per hectare, highlighting the economic potential of walnut cultivation during the study period.
However, labour emerged as the largest component of cultivation expenditure, accounting for nearly 80 per cent of the total cost. Harvesting, picking and guarding of orchards were identified as particularly labour-intensive activities.
The study also found considerable variation in walnut prices, with growers receiving between Rs 100 and Rs 165 per kg, depending on factors including shell hardness, kernel colour, taste and dryness.
Productivity was influenced by several factors, including the use of farmyard manure and chemical fertilisers, availability of labour, tree density, women’s participation and farmers’ access to agricultural information.
Despite the favourable returns, growers reported several constraints, including inadequate extension services, limited access to institutional credit and insufficient technical training.
The researchers recommended strengthening agricultural extension programmes, improving access to institutional credit and expanding technical training to help growers adopt scientific cultivation practices and improve productivity.
They also called for wider dissemination of agricultural information among walnut growers to strengthen orchard management and sustain the economic potential of the sector.
The study was conducted using 2018-19 production data. Its reported costs, returns and prices therefore reflect the conditions during the study period and do not represent current 2026 walnut prices, cultivation costs or farm incomes.
