Ask a farmer in Kulgam what a walnut tree means to him, and he is unlikely to describe it as a crop. 

It is closer to a bank account with roots. 

A walnut tree takes years to mature, gives little at first and then produces for decades. 

Its earnings have paid school fees, hospital bills, roof repairs and weddings. When walnut prices fall, therefore, a family’s income does not simply shrink for one season. One of its most dependable forms of savings loses value.

The numbers show how badly this sector is being underused.

According to NITI Aayog’s 2026 horticulture roadmap, based on FAOSTAT and government data, India accounted for 7.97 percent of global walnut production in 2023-24. Jammu and Kashmir alone contributed 7.70 percent. China led with 35.1 percent and the United States with 18.74 percent.

J&K does not have to outproduce China or the United States. Its opportunity lies elsewhere: better kernels, stronger quality controls, traceable Himalayan origin and packaging that turns a commodity into a recognisable product.

The difference between production and exports is striking. India produced 322,089 metric tonnes of walnuts in 2024-25 across 96,680 hectares, according to APEDA and the National Horticulture Board. But exports in 2025-26 stood at only 1,139.07 metric tonnes, worth........

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