Shopian, Oct 15: An intense hailstorm on Sunday evening lashed several villages of south Kashmir’s Shopian and Kulgam districts, causing significant damage to the un-harvested apple crop.
The hailstorm hit Kanjiullar, Kapran, Feripora, Pratappora, and Vehil villages of Shopian district.
Similar reports suggesting extensive damage to apple crops have been received from Behibagh, Kader Dadrkoot, and Shiganpora villages.
Muhammad Asif, a farmer from Kanjiullar told Greater Kashmir that the hailstorm lasted for around 8 to 10 minutes, spelling doom for the un-harvested crop.
He said that around 60 percent of the crop in the area was yet to be harvested.
“The harvesting season in this area begins a bit late. The farmer had started apple picking last week,” he said
Another distressed farmer told Greater Kashmir that the chickpea-sized hailstones inflicted bruises on the surface of apples.
“Such apples can only be now sold at dirt-cheap prices,” he said.
Muhammad Younus, a distraught farmer from the Behibagh area of Kulgam, said the hailstorm wreaked havoc on apple orchards and vegetables in the area.
He said that the hailstorm continued for 7 to 10 minutes in the area.
The apple farmers have experienced huge losses over the last few years due to the perennial closure of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, market glut, and unseasonal snowfall.
Despite comparatively low production, the apple growers this year were looking forward to reaping rich dividends due to good market prices.
However, an intense spell of hailstorms has dashed all their hopes.
Senior CPI (M) leader Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami expressed concern over the substantial damage caused to apple crops due to hailstorms.
Demanding adequate compensation to the apple farmers, Tarigami took to X and posted: “It’s concerning that the government hasn’t accepted the demand of Apple Farmers’ Federation of India for implementing a comprehensive crop insurance scheme. We strongly emphasise the need for implementing such a scheme to safeguard the livelihood of farmers.”