Kashmir's Walnut Harvest In Full Swing Amid Challenges

2025-09-10 01:08:58

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer)
A man spreads freshly harvested walnuts for drying at his orchard in Tral area of Pulwama district. KO File Photo, Abid Bhat

Srinagar – 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, 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 said while speaking about the risks of this harvest.

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