Institutions/ Participants
1. Ministry of Agriculture & Cooperation, Govt. of India, New Delhi
2. National Horticulture Board, Gurgaon, Haryana
3. HMNEH/Directorate of Horticulture, Uttarakhand
4. HMNEH/Directorate of Horticulture, Himachal Pradesh
5. Uttarakhand University of Horticulture & Forestry, Bharsar, Pauri
6. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture & Forestry, Nauni, Solan, (H.P)
7. G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar
8. IARI, Regional Station, Shimla
9. Vivekanand Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan (VPKAS), Almora
10. G. B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora
11. Amity Institute of Horticulture Studies & Research (AIHSR) Amity University Uttar Pradesh
12. Agriculture& Processed Food Export Development Authority (APEDA)
13. Krishi Vigyan Kendra(ICAR), Yachuli, District-Lower-Subansiri, Arunanchal Pradesh
14. Walnut and Other Nut Fruit Growers Association of India (WANGAI)
15. Walnut Exporters Association of J & K, Jammu
16. University of California Davis, Extension Division- Nut Crops, USA
17. M/S Pipernieres Coulie, CHASTEAUX, France
18. International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Kathmandu, Nepal
19. Birla Institute of Applied Sciences, Bhimtal, Nainital, Uttarakhand
20. SANCHAR (NGO), BhikhajiCama Place, Delhi-66
21. M/S V K C & Nuts, Sahibabad, Gandhi Nagar Jammu Tawi, J & K
22. M/S Excel Crop Care Limited, New Delhi-110001
23. V S T Tillers and Tractors Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore
24. M/S Adarsh Bio Organics, Chattarpur, New Delhi
25. M/S Javikkala Nursery, Bayeri, Ranikhet, Almora, Uttarakhand
26. M/S Bhuria Nursery, Rajgarh, Sirmour, Himachal Pradesh
27. Representatives of farmers associations, farmers from Himachal Pradesh & Uttarakhand
Two days Seminar on “Prospects of Walnut in Himalayan States-Impact on Environment and Sustainable Livelihood” was held at G. B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development (An Autonomous Institute of Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India), Kosi-Katarmal, Almora, Uttarakhand organized by Walnut And Other Nut Fruit Growers Association of India (WANGAI) in collaboration with HMNEH-Uttarakhand sponsored by National Horticulture Board, Gurgaon, Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India and HMNEH-Uttarakhand
Experts from YSPUHF, Nauni, Solan, IARI, Regional Station Shimla, UUHF, Bharsar, APEDA, Officers of State Departments of Horticulture, H.P. & Uttarakhand, Walnut & other Nut Fruit Growers Association of India (WANGAI) and farmers of both the States participated and deliberated on different aspects of walnut and related issues.
The seminar was inaugurated and chaired by Shri D. K. Jain, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture & Cooperation, Govt. of India, New Delhi. He appreciated the initiative of WANGAI and advised to come up with a future action plan including all aspects required from grafted plants, training of farmers and latest production technology in coordination with Directorate of Horticulture/HMNEH of all the walnut growing states. He assured for all support from Ministry of Agriculture & Cooperation, GoI.
Dr. S. K. Singhla, Director Horticulture and Executive Director, National Bee Board was also present and has coordinated and ensured his support from the Ministry of Agriculture, GoI.
In his inaugural remark Shri K. C. Pandey, President, Walnut And Other Nut Fruit Growers Association of India (WANGAI) urged the long gathering of growers how WANGAI is working for ensuring availability of planting material from CITH, J & K and in USA and from France. He told that how he has organized a French collaboration for good quality plants, grafting techniques and for production technology. He advised the growers to come forward for walnut plantations and take membership of WANGAI and get assured support, which will be organized from government, universities and institutes.
Dr. Jagmohan Singh Chauhan, Former Vice Chancellor, YSPUHF, Nauni, Solan told that the demand of walnut is increasing within country as well as in abroad. Therefore, the steps are required to be taken to increase the area under walnut crop so as to meet the demand of walnut in future. The country will also be able to save foreign exchange because at present the walnut is being imported in large quantity. The walnut crop is of high value and do not have marketing problem as these are less perishable. He told that walnut is highly nutritive & very good for health.
Dr. B. S. Bisht, former Vice Chancellor, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar told that the major concern is unavailability of grafted plants of walnuts. There are some good varieties of thin shelled walnut in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand and experts have to work on to develop new high yielding lateral bearing varieties. He appreciates the initiative and advised the forum to come up with a future action plan.
Dr. B. S. Negi, Director-HMNEH, Uttarakhand told that they have plans for promotion of walnut nurseries and area expansion in a cluster approach. He told that he will provide all support under HMNEH for import of lateral bearing walnut plants first for the nurseries and later for growers as per the recommendation of advisory panel. He told that under HMNEH they will organize training to the walnut growers and nursery men on different aspects of walnut cultivation.
Dr. K. K. Pramanick, Station Head, IARI, Regional Station Shimla delivered a presentation and told the growers and other participants that Regional Station of IARI at Shimla has identified a lateral bearing variety of walnut (Pusa Khod-1) and this year they have made 100 grafts of this cultivar, the plants which can be given to the private nurseries for plantation during January, 2014.
Dr. B. S. Thakur and Dr. Joginder Singh Chandel, Scientists from Department of Fruit Science, UHF, Nauni-Solan gave their presentations about the performance of some of the imported varieties of walnut and the new vegetative propagation techniques of walnut. There is a need to constitute an expert panel of concerned scientists for organizing trials and trainings on these aspects in both the hilly states.
Dr. B. D. Lakhchaura in his small deliberation given emphasis on Micro propagation of walnut should also be organized simultaneously with other grafting and budding techniques, and said that protocols needs to be standardized depending upon the genotype.
Shri. A. S. Rawat, General Manager, APEDA informed the growers about the status of India in world market and how China and USA have increased their area under walnut and its production with the strategy. He assured for all support to walnut growers willing for export and related issues of backward and forward linkages.
The growers from Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand agreed to come forward for the membership of WANGAI to make it a strong platform with grower’s contribution in terms of policy, area expansion, production and research and development of walnut and other nut crops.
The following recommendations emerged from the deliberations held during the workshop:-
1. Ensure availability of high-quality grafted plants for all the growers.
2. Bring more area under walnut cultivation in cluster mode in all the walnut growing states by adopting an end-to-end approach involving production, protection, post-harvest management, processing, and marketing.
3. Enhance the production and productivity of walnut; more new model nurseries with state-of-the-art facilities will be set up.
4. Ensure the quality of planting material; all existing nurseries and new nurseries to be set up in the public and private sector will be accredited through National Horticulture Board and SAUs.
5. Facilitate the promotion of easy harvesting, dwarf, and lateral-bearing cultivars in all the walnut growing states. Suitable cultivars will be imported for the establishment of a mother block in all the walnut growing states.
6. Promote new high-yielding cultivars of walnut developed by CITH in all the walnut growing states after observing their performance in the field.
7. ICAR Institutes and State Agriculture/Horticulture Universities to take up research work towards conservation of indigenous germplasm of walnut and develop new cultivars through selection.
8. Standardization of production technology of organic walnuts in association with State Universities and ICAR institutes is required to be carried out.
9. Extensive survey of walnut growing areas to identify promising strains with desirable traits.
10. Strengthen research and development work on the standardization of rootstock, training and pruning, standardization of harvesting stage for quality kernel production.
11. Ensure strong coordination among different walnut growing states for the exchange of germplasm to study their performance under different agro-climate zones in the country.
12. Top working of inferior seedling trees with improved scion cultivars on a large scale.
13. CITH Mukteshwar will create a mother orchard and R & D Centre of walnut of good quality available varieties with CITH, J & K and will ensure the availability of planting material and training to the growers.
14. Development of a protocol for micro-propagation of walnut.
15. Import high-yielding varieties for planting as high-density orchards in a phased manner. Some of these varieties are Chandler, Howard, Tulare, Cisco (P) from the USA, Franquetle, Lara, Fernor Firjean, Fernette (P), Meylanaise (P), and Ronde de Montignue (P) from France, Izvor-10 from Bulgaria, Sorrento walnuts from Italy, Broad view, Buccaneer from Germisara, Orastice, and Sormis from Romania.
16. Identify sites/locations and farmers for the establishment of mother plant orchards and nurseries of walnut in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Arunachal Pradesh, etc., for mass propagation of planting material.
17. Survey to find out the availability of then shelled good quality walnuts in all the Himalayan States for direct use as scion wood for grafts and their utilization in breeding work to select, develop and evolve new varieties with lateral bearing habit.
18. Study the problems and prospects of new exotic improved cultivars in our agroclimatic conditions for their commercial exploitation.
19. Standardization of production technologies for growing organic walnuts in collaboration with State Agricultural Universities and ICAR institutes.
20. Share knowledge and information on growing walnuts and its post-harvest management with premier nurseries, Institutes, and Universities in India and abroad.
21. HMNEH Uttarakhand will constitute a committee for the evaluation of already imported varieties and recommend the lateral varieties for further import and plantation at grower’s field as per the agro-climatic conditions.
22. Organize a survey and study by WANGAI on the availability of thin-shelled walnuts of good quality in the above-mentioned states by marking the elite trees for possible bud-wood collection for grafting. Similarly, a study on the identification of problems and prospects of growing improved varieties of walnuts and development of production & post-harvest technologies in walnut growing states is required to be carried out.
23. Organize the training of nursery growers and grafters at CITH, J & K, for the up-gradation of their knowledge and information under HMNEH scheme.
24. Establish three Centres of Excellence for Walnut and Other Nuts in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Arunachal Pradesh under HMNEH.
25. Modify the constituted advisory panel; Dr. Jagmohan Singh Chauhan, Former Vice-Chancellor will remain the chairman of the panel, and other members of the panel will be as under: Dr. B. S. Thakur, Professor, UHF, Nauni, Solan, Dr. Joginder Singh Chandel, Professor, UHF, Nauni, Solan, Dr. K. K. Pramanick, Station Head, Regional Station, IARI, Shimla – 4, Dr. Arvind Shukla, Director Research, UUHF, Bharsar, Dr. N. C. Nainwal, Assistant Director, AIHSR, Amity University, Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Gunjan Jain, Director, M/S VKC & Nuts, Jammu, J & K.
26. The Government of India or State Govt. will provide the R & D project to the universities and institutes for the benefit of growers and associations.
27. Under HMNEH/NHM, a separate mission has to be launched for the promotion of walnut and other nuts for the Himalayan states as “Walnut and other Nuts Mission”
28. Plant 10% of this year’s imported plants at CITH, Srinagar, J&K, YSPUHF, Nauni, H.P. and UUHF, Kanatal, Uttarakhand for scientific supervision.
29. Directorate of Horticulture will provide the planting material and bud wood to the growers from already imported plants.