Picture /Sajad Hameed – The Kashmiriyat
After apple, it’s now walnuts, which undergo heavy losses as a result of bulk import of this dry fruit from Afghanistan. Kashmiri walnut, which has already been struggling as a result of onslaught by Californian and Chile walnuts is now going through menace from the Afghani walnuts.
President Kashmir Walnut Growers Affiliation Haji Bahadur Khan advised information company—Kashmir Information Observer (KNO), the Kashmir Information Observer that bulk portions of walnuts had been imported from Afghanistan to India, which he stated was denting this specific business.
“We’re witnessing immense losses resulting from these imports. There’s a free commerce settlement between India and Afghanistan resulting from which walnuts are available in massive portions to India. It has invaded our home market to a big extent,” he stated.
Whereas Khan stated they are going to method the federal government to avoid wasting the walnut business, he stated many have given up buying and selling walnuts in Kashmir due to much less demand.
“Charges of walnuts ceased to enhance for the final one decade. Walnut is just not being traded prefer it was in Kashmir a number of years in the past,” he stated.
Khan stated Californian and Chile walnut have equally dented the marketplace for Kashmir’s produce over time. “The state of affairs is such that a high quality walnut kernels sells at Rs 1000 per kilogram. This used to promote at Rs 1200 a decade earlier than when solely Kashmiri walnut dominated Indian markets,” he stated.
Giving an perception into the market traits, Khan stated low high quality walnut, which contains 8-0 % produced in Kashmir, sells at Rs 150-250 per kilogram. “A low-quality kernel would promote at Rs 300 per kilogram some years earlier than,” he stated.
He stated the charges of walnut kernels have gone down by nearly 50 % this yr. Khan stated the introduction of latest walnut varieties turns into equally vital to avoid wasting the walnut business of Kashmir.
“We have now conventional walnut varieties, that are purely natural. When in comparison with the walnuts of California and Chile, the standard is just too low. So, we enchantment to the involved division to encourage the introduction of latest varieties to combat in opposition to the invasion by international imports,” he stated.
In the meantime, the walnut seller stated many amongst them have given up this commerce completely resulting from no returns. “Walnut like apples was the primary money crop of Kashmir. A significant part of our inhabitants was related to this commerce. Now hardly ever, persons are related to walnut buying and selling due to the low market demand,” stated Bashir Ahmad Wani, a seller—(KNO)
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