<h1>Walnut trade: budget pledge to support high-density cultivation seeks to modernise production and boost competitiveness and exports.</h1> The budgetary pledge provides targeted support for high-value nut crops, notably promoting high-density cultivation to modernise walnut production, address low yields and harvesting risks from traditional varieties, and improve competitiveness against imported soft-shelled walnuts. The initiative responds to structural deficits in Jammu and Kashmir's sector-which comprises about 86,000 hectares and over 90% of national output-by aiming to strengthen yield uniformity, processing and packaging capacity, and market access; recent exports totaled 2,134 metric tonnes valued at $7.8 million.