Apple agriculture involves almost 3.5 million people, or 27% of the population of the region. | Photo credit: PTI
“Now we have anything left,” said Abdul Rehman, an distressed Apple farmer, says that a hailstorm has recently devastated his garden.
On Friday, Rehman was working on his farm in the idyllic town of Kellar in the Shopian district, about 60 km south of Srinagar, when the Hailstones area was the area.
The fierce that the storm lasted 10 to 15 minutes caused damage to the shoots and leaves of thousands of apples farm in the area.
“He hit apple flowers, dragging the delicate petals and damaging the outbreaks, leaving broken flowers and reducing the possibilities of a good harvest,” said Rehman.
The apples farms in the upper sections of the valley were in a stage of critical flowering, while those in the low areas had already reached the complete fall of the petal.
Losses of up to 60%
At least 50 villages were whipped by the intense hail storm, causing substantial damage to apples orchards in the district. In some areas, farmers estimated losses of up to 60 percent.
“In our area, hailstorm significantly damaged fruits. The loss is about 60 percent,” said Suhail Ahmad Sheikh, a farmer from the Posthpora village.
A horticultural department official said that the department was evaluating the damage, but that the actual scope of the loss cannot be determined immediately.
On Saturday, heavy rains along with hailstorm also caused damage to apple orchards in the Kupwara district of North Cashmir, leaving thousands of farmers desperate for their crops.
The district is known for producing top -level apples, with more than 80 percent of people who depend on apples cultivation for their livelihood.
Apple Farming is the main source of employment in Jammu and Kashmir, turning almost 3.5 million people, 27 percent of the region’s population. Fruit export only represents 8 percent of GDP.
Demanding compensation
“The Government sacrifices the peanut in the name of the compensation, paying as little as ₹ 2,000,” said a group of affected farmers.
The cultivators have demanded adequate compensation in line with the losses incurred, together with a KCC loan vador.
Shakoor Ahmad, commissioner assistant income, Shopian, said compensation would be to provide farmers where exo -percent damage 30 percent.
Zahoor Ahmad, rather, said the president of the Apple Farmers Federation (Chapter J & K) Business line That the hail storm spent the fatality for thousands of apples producing villages throughout the valley, while the government has not yet introduced a comprehensive insurance policy.
“An insurance scheme in favor of farmers and loan exemptions have been our long -standing demands,” he said.
Posted on April 21, 2025