(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer) The mood is heavy in Kashmir's walnut orchards. This year's harvest is smaller, the nuts lighter, and the trees seem to carry a worry.

Farmers blame erratic weather, shorter winters, and the creeping effects of climate change.

“The rains are unpredictable, the frost comes late,” said one grower, walking through rows of swaying branches.

On top of that, fewer tourists are visiting the valley, cutting off a seasonal income that would help families through lean months.

Once a reliable second crop after apples, walnuts now face a crisis, leaving farmers to wonder if the land that has long sustained them can weather these changes.

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