Nuts and Dry Fruits Council starts import of walnut and cashew saplings

08-May-2025 08:49 PM

Mangalore. The Nuts and Dry Fruits Council of India (NDFC) has begun importing high-yielding walnut and cashew saplings from abroad to boost domestic production and reduce dependence on imports.

According to the Council’s chairman, this initiative aims to make India self-sufficient in these products and to provide better income opportunities for farmers.

Although India already produces cashews and walnuts, domestic demand continues to exceed production. To address this gap, the Council initiated a small-scale plantation project last year and successfully lobbied the government to allow the import of superior quality planting materials under strict quarantine conditions.

The lack of high-yield, high-quality saplings in India has necessitated the import to develop and expand plantations.

The chairman highlighted that since 2010, global walnut production has nearly tripled, while production of other dry fruits has also seen significant growth.

In contrast, India has made no substantial efforts to increase dry fruit production—only grapes have seen a notable rise in output.

In the 1980s, India and China produced nearly equal quantities of walnuts, with plantations primarily located in the Himalayan regions. However, while China’s walnut production has surged to 1.2 million tons, India’s has stagnated at just 25,000 tons, all sourced from Jammu and Kashmir.

The Council believes that the similar soil and climatic conditions in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand offer great potential for walnut cultivation, but more support and encouragement for farmers in these regions is essential.