Farmers shift to high-density walnut trees, no immediate plan to lift ban on felling old trees: Govt

Srinagar, Mar 06: With growing interest in High-Density Walnut Plantation (HDWP), farmers in Jammu and Kashmir are increasingly shifting from traditional walnut species to high-density varieties.
However, the government on Thursday said that there is no immediate plan to lift the ban on felling old walnut trees.
In response to a question raised by Zafar Ali Khatana, MLA Kokernag regarding the promotion of HDWP and the status of the ban on old walnut tree felling, the Minister in charge of Horticulture in written reply said the government is actively supporting the transition to high-density walnut orchards through subsidies and assistance programs. Under the HDWP scheme, the department provides a 50% subsidy for raising orchards, benefiting hundreds of farmers.
According to official data, in the Kashmir division alone, 398 beneficiaries have availed subsidies under the High-Density Walnut Plantation Scheme in the years 2023-24 and 2024-25.
“The total area covered under this scheme stands at 64.8 hectares, with a subsidy disbursement of Rs. 38.96 lakh. In the Jammu division, 703 beneficiaries have benefited under the medium-density walnut plantation scheme over the last three years,” it said.
Despite the increasing preference for high-density walnut trees due to their higher yield and shorter gestation period, the government reiterated that old walnut trees remain protected under the Jammu and Kashmir Preservation of Specified Trees Act, 1969.
“Currently, there is no proposal to lift the ban on felling old walnut trees. However, in exceptional cases, applications for tree felling are referred to the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, for necessary permissions,” it said.
The government further said that the shift towards HDWP is expected to enhance the region’s walnut production and boost farmer incomes. It assured that all such matters will be considered on a case-to-case basis.
However, the ban on felling old trees continues to be a point of concern for farmers seeking to replace aging and unproductive trees with high-yielding varieties.