The recent rains and hailstorm in south Kashmir’s Shopian district have spelt doom for cherry crop, leaving thousands of growers in distraught.
The significant plunge in the prices of the fruit has alsoadded to their miseries.
Many cherry growers in Losedanow, Ganowpora, Imama Sahib andPinjura areas of the Shopian district and some growers in neighbouring Kulgamdistrict said that the torrential rains, accompanied by hailstorm in someareas, have caused damage to more than30 percent of the standing crop.
The cherry varieties, which according to the growers, weredamaged most included, Double, Italy and Siyah while the Mishri varietysuffered comparatively less or no damage.
“I don’t know if the authorities have assessed the loss butI think the damage is around 30-35 percent in the cherry rich beltof Shopian,” said Mushtaq Ahmad Malik, president Fruit and ZamindarAssociation.
Malik said that due to the torrential rains the stone fruitthat was ready for harvest burst on the trees.
Sabzar Ahmad Lone, a cherry grower of Losedaow village saidthat the Double variety in the area has suffered around 40 percent of damage.
Another cherry grower from the village said that this yearthe area had a bumper crop but at the last moment the vagaries of weatherspoilt everything.
“The farmers in this village bore the brunt of sullenskies as the area is the largest producer of different cherry varieties in theentire district” he said.
While the growers are already grappling with the lossescaused by the rains, the falling prices of the fruit only added to their woes.
The rate for one kilogram of Double variety is Rs 35-40 inlocal Mandi while the price usually used to be rupees 65 -80 or even more.
“This year the prices plummeted considerably. The juicefactories buy the variety at rather cheaper rates,” said Basit Ahmad, agrower from Imamsahib area.
The farmers complained that authorities had always beenindifferent towards their problems.
“Last year the unseasonal snow incurred huge loses tothe farmers but government provided peanuts in the name of solatium,” saidMohammd Abdullah Wagay, a fruit grower of Ganowpora, Shopian, adding that”even most of the affected growers have not received any compensationyet”.
Wagay said that there were no fool proof crop insuranceschemes available with the government for the farmers.
He said the recent rains had damaged around 40 percent ofthe cherry crop in his area.
In utter contrast to the claims of farmers, a seniorhorticulture officer told Greater Kashmir that there were no reports of anydamage from the area. He, however, saidthat the valley recorded a 5 percent increase in the production of cherriesthis year.