SRINAGAR: A severe hailstorm accompanied by stormy winds has devastated fruit orchards across the districts of Shopian and Kulgam in the Kashmir Valley, leaving local fruit growers facing substantial losses. The unexpected weather event, which occurred on Monday afternoon, has caused extensive damage to the region’s thriving horticulture industry, a crucial pillar of Kashmir’s economy.
The storm struck at a critical time when apple harvesting was in full swing. Hailstones, driven by fierce winds, battered the orchards, dislodging apples from the trees and leaving a layer of white across the fields. For the fruit growers of these districts, the losses are severe, impacting not just their livelihoods but also the wider horticulture sector, which supports over 700,000 families in Jammu and Kashmir.
Horticulture is a cornerstone of the region’s economy, contributing approximately 10 per cent to the State Gross Domestic Product (SGDP). The Kashmir Valley, often referred to as the _Fruit Bowl_ of Northern India, is renowned for its apple production. However, in recent years, the industry has been increasingly challenged by erratic weather patterns, including unseasonal rains, strong winds, and hailstorms.
The Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers cum Dealers Union, an elected body representing all fruit growers’ associations in the Kashmir, has consistently appealed to the government for the inclusion of Kashmir’s horticulture sector in a crop insurance scheme. Despite several announcements, such a scheme has yet to be implemented, leaving growers vulnerable to natural calamities like the recent hailstorm.
In response to the significant losses, the Union has made an urgent appeal to the Lieutenant Governor’s administration, requesting the following actions:
Implementation of a Crop Insurance/Market Intervention Scheme: The Union has called for the immediate implementation of a crop insurance scheme to protect the interests of fruit growers and dealers in the Valley.
Deployment of Assessment Teams: The Union urges the government to deploy officers from the Agriculture University (SKUAST) Shalimar and the Department of Horticulture Development Kashmir to the affected areas in Shopian and Kulgam to assess the damage.
Provision of Compensation: The Union has requested the government to grant sufficient compensation to the fruit growers who have suffered due to the recent hailstorm.
The Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers cum Dealers Union expressed hope that the government would promptly address these demands, emphasising the need for immediate action to protect the horticulture sector from further damage. Without intervention, the impact of this natural disaster could ripple across the entire economy, affecting thousands of families directly and indirectly connected to the horticulture industry.