Kashmir, once described as the "land of almonds", is seeing a rapid decline in almond orchards as growers increasingly replace trees with high-density apple varieties or sell land for construction. Farmers warn that without intervention, the region's almond heritage could disappear.
"This year's yield has been satisfactory, but the tragedy is that orchards are vanishing faster than ever," said Muneer Ahmad, an orchardist from Pulwama. "Everywhere you look, land is being taken over either by apple plantations or new buildings. If this trend continues, almonds will soon vanish from Kashmir's landscape."
Data from the horticulture department shows the scale of decline. In 2006–07, almond cultivation in Kashmir covered 16,374 hectares. By 2019–20, this had reduced to 4,177 hectares. Production fell from 15,183 tons to 9,898 tons in the same period. Despite this, Kashmir still contributes more than 90% of India's almond output.
For many farmers, almond production is no longer financially viable. "Apples give us higher returns, while almonds hardly cover costs," said Nisar Ahmad Mir, a grower from Budgam. "We love almond trees, but affection alone cannot feed our families."
Marketing challenges add further pressure. "We have been demanding a proper dry fruit mandi for years, but authorities pay no heed," said Abdul Rasheed Reshie, a farmer. "Without an organised market and support prices, almond cultivation cannot survive."
Growers state that stricter land-use policies and financial support are needed to prevent further loss of orchards. Without such measures, farmers fear that almond production in Kashmir will decline to the point where it no longer forms part of the region's agricultural landscape.
Source: Kashmir Observer