Srinagar, May 26: The Horticulture Department of Kashmir on Friday issued an advisory for hail-affected orchardists of Kashmir Valley. The move comes in the wake of the hail storm witnessed in various north Kashmir areas on Thursday afternoon which left the valley orchardists ravaged.
Besides issuing the advisory, the Director Horticulture Kashmir Ghulam Rasool Mir and Director Agriculture Kashmir Chowdhary Muhammad Iqbal visited the hailstorm-affected areas in north Kashmir’s Kupwara and Baramulla districts to assess the losses incurred by the orchardists.
The horticulture department Kashmir in its advisory has stated that the unexpected and destructive natural calamity wreaked havoc on fruit crops, raising concerns among the horticultural community.
As horticulture department has advised the orchardists to spray Zineb 68% and Hexaconazole 4% 72 WP at the rate of 100g per 100 litres of water or to spray Tubeconazole (6.7%) and Captan (26.9) 33.6SC at the rate of 250 ml per 100 litres of water.
“The orchardists can also spray Fluxapyroxad 250g + Pyraclostrobin 250g 500 SC at the rate of 20 ml per 100 liters of water,” the advisory reads.
It reads that after a gap of three days, the orchardists should spray Urea at a rate of 0.2% (200 gms per 100 liters of water).
“The orchardists should immediately remove the fallen fruits and leaves from the orchards,” the advisory reads.
For Plum, Peach and Apricot Orchards, the department has advised spraying Carbendazim 12% with Mancozeb 63% 75 WP at the rate of 250g per 100 litres of water.
“The orchardists can also spray Thiophanate Methyl 70WP at the rate of 50g per 100 litres of water. After a gap of three days, spray Urea at a rate of 0.2% (200 gms per 100 liters of water),” the advisory reads.
The Directorate has further directed all the district officers and their field staff to meticulously calculate the extent of the damage inflicted upon fruit crops.
Directors Horticulture and Agriculture departments on Friday visited hailstorm-affected villages like Panzalla, Kangroosa, Chatoosa, and Dazna in the Baramulla district. The officers also surveyed Harri, Trehgam, Shumnag, Gugloosa, and Awoora areas in the Kupwara district as well.
Meanwhile, the Joint Director Horticulture Department Kashmir Z A Bhat on Friday visited hail-affected areas in Budgam district to evaluate the impact on fruit crops.
“All district heads and field officers have been instructed to visit the affected areas promptly,” the advisory reads.
The Directorate of Horticulture, Kashmir, in collaboration with other government agencies and stakeholders, will closely monitor the situation.
“The department will ensure that the necessary steps are taken to minimize the impact of the hailstorm on the livelihoods of the farmers in the region,” the advisory reads.
Talking to reporters during his visit to the hailstorm-affected areas, Chowdhary Mohammad Iqbal said they received inputs about the damage faced by farmers in the agriculture and horticulture sector following which both the directors visited the affected areas to assess the losses.
“Cherry, Pear and Apple orchards have faced huge damage due to hailstorms while walnut has been damaged as well. We visited the affected areas of Baramulla and Kupwara districts to assess the losses and will submit a report to the government,” he said.
