Hailstorm, gusty winds damage apple orchards, property in south Kashmir

Shopian, Sep 02: Hailstorms and gusty winds in south Kashmir’s Shopian and Kulgam districts caused significant damage to apple orchards and property on Monday. Many farmers from Kapran, Rawalpora, Kachdora, Kachdora Check, Vehil, Zaipora, and Reshnagri said that an intense hailstorm lashed these villages, causing substantial damage to the apple crop.

Muhammad Ilyas, an orchardist from the Kachdora area said that the hailstorm caused more than 50 percent damage to apple fruit in the area.

He said that the chickpea-sized hailstones caused bruises on the surface of apples.

An apple cultivator from Kachdora Check said that the hailstorm lasted for around 7 to 10 minutes.

“In our area, the hailstorm caused more than 60 percent damage to the apple crop,” he said.

Over the past three months, several apple-rich villages of the district experienced intense hailstorms.

In neighbouring Kulgam district, the strong winds caused huge damage to several structures and apple orchards.

An official said that strong winds uprooted trees and caused damage to several vehicles and structures in Pombay village.

He said that the rooftops of several residential houses were also damaged in the area.

A resident of the area said that the fast-blowing winds caused damage to power transmission lines and apple orchards.

Senior CPI (M) leader Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami demanded immediate relief to the affected farmers.

“The government should assess the damages immediately so that the affected orchardists and peasants are compensated well in time,” he said in a statement today.

Tarigami said that the non-implementation of the crop insurance scheme in the horticulture sector had caused distress among the orchardists.

“If implemented, the scheme will provide succour to the orchardists and save the fruit growers in the event of losses suffered due to natural calamities,” he said.