Chilgoza Pine Nut Decline in Kinnaur
ONGOING RESEARCH
2017-PRESENT
Socio-economic and Environmental Changes Leading to Chilgoza Pine Nut Decline in Kinnaur
Pinus gerardiana, or chilgoza pine, has played a significant socioeconomic role for the Kinnauri Tribal Peoples in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Chilgoza is a native species of pine to Kinnaur and other small pockets in Western Himalaya.
Until the 1950s, when Kinnaur was dependent on barter and subsistence, chilgoza pine nuts provided the only means of monetary revenue. Pine nuts were a vital commodity with which Kinnauris bartered for essential goods. While no longer central to the barter economy, pine nuts offer a small sum of supplementary income and remain an important part of Kinnauri identity expressed in religious and cultural functions. Moreover, oil-rich pine nuts provide a source of nourishment, especially during long winter months. As the harvest rapidly declines, however, the role of chilgoza in the Kinnauri economy and culture is threatened. Today, widespread cultivation of apples is gradually taking the place of pine nuts as a valued commodity.
This ongoing longitudinal ethnographic research is focused on the socio-economic and environmental changes leading to
the decline in chilgoza pine nut production. As commercial apple cultivation gains prominence, the traditional collective harvesting and distribution practices of chilgoza are losing importance. Contemporary harvesting practices contribute to long-term damage of the tree and therefore decline in seed production and regeneration. Climate change and a general reduction in winter snowfall have also been diminishing production. Chilgoza decline can potentially reduce the diversity of the Kinnauri economy, possibly placing Kinnauris at risk, as they become further dependent on a single cash crop, apples.
Some findings from this research effort have been published in the following:
Rahimzadeh, A. (2020). Socio-economic and Environmental Implications of the Decline of Chilgoza Pine Nuts of Kinnaur, Western Himalaya. Conservation and Society doi:10.4103/cs.cs_19_17
Rahimzadeh, A. (2020). From Vanishing Pine Nuts to Expanding Apple Trees: A Story of Changing Tribal Culture in the Himalaya. Newfound (October).
![“My father worked in Kotgarh in those days,” Vijay half turned his head again from the front seat.
“So did some of my older relatives,” Hishey added.
“They worked in the apple orchards there in the summertime.” Vijay said. “Then before wintertime, they’d walk back on the Hindustan-Tibet Road with mules. They brought back food and goods,” Vijay continued. “They would pack two mules with rice and jaggery [brown sugar]to bring back to Kinnaur ,” he laughed. “That’s when my father earned a wage for the first time,” Vijay said
“A lot of people started seeing money for the first time in those days,” Hishey added.
“Yes,” Vijay agreed. “They also learned how to graft and prune fruit trees. Basically, how to take care of apple trees. My father brought this skill, plus apple saplings back to Kinnaur,” Vijay said proudly. “A lot of people did this. People started apple orchards here with those saplings.”
Despite being young, Vijay already had an impressive understanding of Kinnaur’s recent history. When I inquired about his knowledge, he explained that his interest in historical events had taken him to elders in Pooh to collect the stories of his ancestors. It was clear that his knowledge was going to prove invaluable to my own understanding of regional history.
“What about the people who didn’t travel outside of Kinnaur?” I asked.
“They mostly stayed here and worked in other people’s new orchards,” Hishey added. “This is how they learned about growing apples and how to develop orchards.” And thus, apple orchards began to slowly spread.](https://i0.wp.com/aghaghiarahimzadeh.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2025Kinnaur-Sept-Oct_Camera-233.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1)