India’s walnut production is expected to rise by 50 per cent to a record 45,000 tonnes in the 2011-12 marketing year, but adverse weather conditions could hit output by 20 per cent, says a USDA report.

The country produced about 30,000 tonnes in the 2010-11 marketing year (August-July), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) said in a report.

“However, adverse weather conditions could always lower the crop estimate by 5-20 per cent, as reflected in last year’s (2010-11) production,” the report said.

Heavy rains and abnormal weather during the flowering season in August last year reduced the output to about 30,000 tonnes.

The country’s walnut consumption is estimated to rise by almost 13 per cent to 18,000 tonnes in the 2011-12 marketing year from 16,000 tonnes in the year-ago period, it noted.

Almost half of the walnuts produced in India are consumed domestically, the bulk of which is consumed during the festive season (September-January).

About 10 per cent is used in the bakery, confectionery and the ice-cream industry and around 2-3 per cent is utilised for oil extraction for soaps and cosmetics.

The country’s major walnut-growing areas are located in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and the northeastern states.

The USDA reported pointed out that walnuts are losing out to apples and fresh fruits in terms of the area under cultivation, as these fetch better economic returns.

“Lack of high-yielding varieties, long gestation periods, poor orchard management and uneven yields (estimated at 18-50 kg per tree per year) have kept walnut production almost stagnant,” the USDA report said.