Walnut Farming in India: Insights into Cultivation and Market Potential

Table of Content

• A Brief Introduction to Walnuts
• What are the Different Varieties of Walnut in India?
• Top Walnut Production States in India
• Cultivation of Walnut Plants in India
  • Climate & Soil Requirements
  • Land Preparation
  • Propagation
  • Planting & Spacing
  • Fertilizer and Manure
  • Irrigation
  • Weed, Pests, and Diseases Management
  • Harvesting
  • Post Harvest Management
• Final Insights

A Brief Introduction to WalnutsBrief Introduction to a Walnut Plant

Walnut is one of the oldest cultivated fruits in the world which belongs to the family of Juglandaceae. They are popularly called Akhrot in India. The Indian walnuts are mainly divided into 4 categories, paper-shelled, thin-shelled, medium-shelled and hard-shelled.

Walnut is a rich source of alpha-linolenic acid which provides cardio protective effects in humans. Moreover, being a source of a powerful antioxidant named melatonin, it helps in inducing and regulating sleep. It helps in preventing and controlling diseases like cancer and diabetes.

What are the Different Varieties of Walnut in India?

A lot of different walnut varieties have been developed in the past few years. However, the three main traditional varieties of walnut are Juglans nigra, Juglans regia, and Juglans cinerea. However, based on shell characteristics, walnuts are classified into:

• Paper-shelled
• Thin-shelled
• Medium-shelled
• Hard-shelled

Top Walnut Production States in India

India grows a good number of walnuts, mainly in hilly and cool regions, as these areas have the right weather and soil for the trees to grow well. As per the APEDA Agri Exchange, India's total walnut production is approximately 322.08 metric tonnes in FY 2024-25. Here are the top walnut producing states in India:

Cultivation of Walnut Plants in India

Let’s learn how to grow walnuts by understanding the entire process of walnut cultivation, ranging from land preparation to harvesting:

Climate & Soil Requirements Climate & Soil Requirements

Walnuts flourish well in cool climates, with cold winters and mild summers. They require a temperate climate with 1,000 to 1,500 chilling hours below 7°C during winter to break dormancy. The ideal temperature for growth is between 15°C to 25°C. Also, the frost conditions during spring are not appropriate for walnut growth. Furthermore, walnuts require well-drained, deep silt loam soils, clay loams, with a pH ranging between 6.5 and 7.

Land Preparation

Firstly, the land should be prepared well with all the weeds being cleared from the soil. Also, the previous crop roots should be eliminated, and the land should be ploughed 3 to 4 times to achieve proper soil tilth. To prepare the land properly, you have to use implements like a cultivator, plough, and harrow.

Propagation

In walnut farming, budding and grafting techniques for propagation have been standardized. These techniques require rootstocks and budwood/scion wood. Therefore, the establishment of a Bud wood/scion bank is essential to meet the requirements as well as quality control. Using local walnut seedlings as rootstock is the best method of propagation that you can use for better results.

Planting & Spacing

If you are planting walnuts on flat land, then the square system is appropriate, whereas contour planting is practiced in hilly or steep sloped areas. While walnut planting can occur anytime between December and March, doing so in December yields the best results. Keep a minimum spacing of 12 × 12 meters between seedling trees. Additionally, the exact spacing depends on your soil depth and the specific cultivar you are growing.

Fertilizer and ManureFertilizer And Manure

Walnut trees require balanced nutrition dominated by nitrogen, with significant inputs of phosphorus and potassium. Hence, walnut trees should be fertilized with ½ kg of a 15:15:15 NPK fertilizer mixture each year. After stabilizing the dose, a full-bearing tree should be fertilized with 100 kg of FYM and 8 kg of NPK mixture. 

The full dose of potash, phosphorus, and FYM is administered in December and January; the half dose of N is administered in March prior to one month of flowering, and the remaining half dose is administered following one month of fruit set. Walnuts are susceptible to zinc deficiency, which lowers their nutritional value. Zinc sulphate (0.4%) should be sprayed on the skin to address zinc deficiency.

Irrigation

Walnut trees need regular water, especially when it is dry, to stay healthy and grow high-quality nuts. While farmers use different watering methods, drip and sprinkler irrigation systems are the best choices because they save water and get it right to the roots. Do not overwater, as it can harm the roots.

Weed, Pests, and Diseases Management

Appropriate use of chemical weedicide, mulching, and manual weeding can act as preventive measures for weeds. When it comes to pest and disease management, it appears to be a really big constraint in walnut cultivation, mainly due to the difficulty faced with spraying the giant trees.

Walnuts are prone to several diseases and pests, and most of them threaten the life of plants along with ruining the sizable portion of the edible nuts and their visual appearance. However, traditional control strategies work reasonably well for most pests. Also, selecting the quality of disease resistant seeds majorly prevents any diseases and pest attacks.

Harvesting

Walnut harvest time is September–October, when the green outer shell begins to split naturally. Harvesting from seedling trees begins 10–12 years from planting. Grafted walnut trees begin fruiting in 4–5 years. Commercial level production can be expected in 6–8 years.

Post Harvest Management

After cleaning, the nuts are dried using a dryer at a temperature of 30 to 32 degrees Celsius until they have about 8% moisture. Spread the nuts on a canvas sheet or hand floor and let them dry in the sun for several days. The nuts are kept in gunny bags in tiny, well-ventilated rooms once they have dried.

Final Insights

Walnut cultivation is very labor-intensive, accounting for nearly 80% of total production costs. However, the cost-benefit ratio of 1:5.35 per hectare suggests better economic possibilities for the walnut industry, especially in the context of the Kashmir Valley. Jammu & Kashmir was once among the top walnut producers in the world. There are several factors that affect productivity and profitability, like lack of infrastructure across transport, power supply, packaging facilities, and the absence of markets for nuts. Dealing with these issues can lead to an economic boost of walnut production in J&K and ultimately in India.

Walnut farming is a proven, sustainable, and highly profitable horticultural business in India. It requires patience as the results may not be visible for the first 6–8 years. But for those who start with the right location, the right variety, and the right farming practices, it literally becomes a generational wealth creator. Hence, if you have the right land, climate, long-term vision, walnut cultivation can be a perfect choice. a perfect choice.