Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Aug 21: Once known as the “land of almonds”, Kashmir is witnessing a sharp decline in almond orchards, with farmers cutting down trees to make way for high-density apple plantations and construction activities.
Growers said that without urgent intervention, the region’s centuries-old almond heritage could be lost forever.
“This year, the crop has been good, but the tragedy is that orchards are shrinking faster than ever,” said Muneer Ahmad, an orchardist from Pulwama. “Wherever you look, land is either being used for apples or buildings. If this continues, almonds will soon vanish from Kashmir’s landscape.”
Figures from the horticulture department highlight the alarming trend. In 2006–07, almonds were grown on 16,374 hectares of land across Kashmir, but by 2019–20, that number had dropped to just 4,177 hectares. Production too dipped—from 15,183 tonnes to 9,898 tonnes in the same period. Despite still contributing over 90 per cent of India’s almond output, growers warn the industry is in free fall.
For many farmers, the economics no longer add up. “Apples bring us better returns, while almonds hardly cover our expenses,” said Nisar Ahmad Mir, a grower from Budgam. “We love almond trees, but love alone cannot feed our families.”
Growers also point to the absence of marketing infrastructure as a major setback. “We have been demanding a proper dry fruit mandi for years, but no one listens,” said Abdul Rasheed Reshie, another farmer. “Without an organised market and support prices, how can almond cultivation survive?”
Farmers fear that if the government does not regulate land conversion and provide incentives, Kashmir’s almond tradition—once celebrated in poetry, art, and culture—will be reduced to memory.
