The Division of Fruit Science, SKUAST-Jammu, under the leadership of Professor B.N. Tripathi, Vice Chancellor, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu, and the guidance of the Director Research, organized a one-day training-cum-awareness programme on “Cultivation of Pecan Nut in Mid-Hill Areas of Jammu Region” under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP). The event was held at the Chief Horticulture Office, Udhampur, under HADP Project No. 2 titled “Promotion of Niche Crops in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir (Pecan nut” and coordinated CHO, Udhampur Sh. Brij Vallabh gupta and Dr. Arti Sharma, Professor, Division of Fruit Science, and Principal Investigator of the project.

The programme began with a welcome address by Sh. Arvind Kumar, District level SMS Udhampur. He emphasized the importance of pecan nut cultivation in enhancing the horticultural diversity, value, and sustainability of farming systems in the region. He appreciated SKUAST-Jammu’s initiative in promoting niche crops suitable for the mid-hill zone.
The main objective of the training was to create awareness about pecan nut, an emerging nut crop well-suited to the temperate and sub-temperate mid-hill areas of Jammu. The sessions focused on developing scientific understanding among farmers regarding orchard establishment, management, and post-harvest handling to improve productivity and profitability.
Dr. Arti Sharma delivered an informative lecture on scientific pecan nut cultivation. She explained the crop’s climatic adaptability, soil requirements, varietal selection, propagation techniques, orchard layout, training and pruning practices, and integrated nutrient and pest management. She highlighted that the mid-hill districts such as Udhampur, Doda, Ramban, and Rajouri hold high potential for pecan cultivation due to favorable climatic conditions and suitable soil profiles. Dr. Sharma encouraged farmers to adopt pecan nut as a high-value niche crop to diversify farming and secure better income potential.
Technical sessions were followed by Dr. Neeraj Gupta, Professor, PHM, SKUAST-Jammu delivering a lecture on post-harvest management and value addition, highlighting nut processing, grading, packaging, and marketing strategies to ensure quality and profitability. Farmers were informed about emerging market trends and export opportunities for pecan nuts and the need for establishing local nurseries for quality planting material.
Programme was concluded by address by Sh Bharat Bhushan gupta, District level SMS Udhampur. He discussed various aspects of fruit cultivation in district Udhampur. The training concluded with an interactive session where participating farmers discussed field challenges and shared their interest in adopting pecan nut cultivation on a commercial scale. Experts underlined that the promotion of pecan nut under HADP would lead to sustainable development of mid-hill areas, improved soil conservation, and enhanced livelihood opportunities.