Govt launches pilot project to revive Kashmir’s almond industry

Pulwama, Jul 9: In a significant initiative aimed at reviving Kashmir’s centuries-old almond industry, the Department of Horticulture has launched a pilot project on high-density almond cultivation in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
The project, spread over 100 kanals at the Fruit Plant Nursery in Nowgam area of Newa, is expected to demonstrate the potential of modern cultivation techniques in increasing almond production and making the crop economically viable once again.
An Official said the pilot project has been introduced as part of the department’s efforts to reverse the steady decline in almond cultivation across the Valley. By adopting high-density plantation techniques, the department hopes to improve productivity, ensure better orchard management, enhance farmers’ earnings and encourage growers to return to almond cultivation.
The traditional almond sector in Kashmir has witnessed a sharp decline over the past several years due to erratic weather patterns, low yields and diminishing profitability. Faced with uncertain returns, a large number of farmers have shifted from almond cultivation to high-density apple orchards, which offer significantly higher production and better financial returns from comparatively smaller land holdings.
Pulwama, once known for its extensive almond orchards, has also undergone a major transformation in recent years. Thousands of kanals of traditional almond plantations across the district have been converted into high-density apple orchards, raising concerns over the gradual disappearance of one of Kashmir’s oldest horticultural crops.
Chief Horticulture Officer Pulwama, Riyaz Ahmad Shah, said the pilot project represents an important step towards restoring confidence among almond growers.
The objective of this project is to evaluate the performance of high-density almond plantations under local conditions. If the results are encouraging, the model will be extended to farmers across the district so that they can adopt modern cultivation practices, increase production and improve their income,” Shah said.
He said the department is committed not only to increasing almond cultivation but also to preserving an important part of Kashmir’s horticultural heritage.
“Our aim is to revive this traditional industry by introducing scientific and high-density cultivation methods. We want farmers to see almonds as a profitable crop once again while ensuring that this historic horticultural legacy is preserved for future generations,” he added.
Experts believe that introducing improved varieties, scientific orchard management and high-density plantation techniques could play a key role in restoring the competitiveness of almond cultivation in Kashmir. They say the success of the Pulwama pilot project could pave the way for similar initiatives in other almond-growing areas of the Valley.
Despite the decline in cultivated area, almond farming continues to support the livelihoods of thousands of families in South Kashmir, particularly in Pulwama. Growers and horticulture experts hope that if the new model proves successful, it will encourage farmers to diversify their orchards, strengthen the region’s almond industry and help restore a crop that has long been an integral part of Kashmir’s horticultural identity. (KNO)