Non-implementation of crop insurance scheme costs Kashmir’s horticulture sector dearly
Srinagar, June 3: The recent hailstorm that ravaged large swathes of South Kashmir’s apple orchards has once again brought to light a pressing concern for the Valley’s economy — the non-implementation of a crop insurance scheme. Despite being the backbone of Kashmir’s revenue, the horticulture sector continues to remain vulnerable to weather-related disasters.
On Monday afternoon, around 2:30 PM, a severe hailstorm accompanied by strong winds and lightning struck multiple villages in the Imam Sahab belt of Shopian district, including Nagbal, Handew, Wadipora, Alshipora and Dasu. The storm lasted for over 15 minutes, causing extensive damage to apple orchards. Growers from the region reported massive losses to their crops, as the hail battered fruit-bearing trees at a critical stage of growth.
Similar weather events have also impacted other horticulture-rich areas, such as Handwara, Rafiabad, Baramulla, Bandipora, and Ganderbal, where earlier storms caused significant damage to fruit orchards. The repeated calamities have left fruit growers grappling with uncertainty and economic hardship.
Growers and dealers across the Valley say the absence of a crop insurance scheme has deepened their woes.
The Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Union, which represents a large number of growers and traders, has reiterated its demand for immediate implementation of a crop insurance policy that can protect growers from such unpredictable weather events.
According to Bashir Ahmad Basheer, Chairman of the Union, despite several appeals made to the Government of India and the administration of Jammu and Kashmir, the scheme has not been introduced in the Valley. He said the non-implementation of this safety net continues to hurt marginal and small growers the most.
Basheer explained that nearly 90 percent of the Valley’s fruit growers are marginal farmers who rely solely on the income generated from their orchards. In the absence of insurance, a single storm can wipe out their only source of livelihood, leaving them in severe financial distress.
He added that the recent storm has not only affected orchard owners but has also had a cascading effect on those associated with the fruit industry — including transporters, packaging workers and traders — who depend on a healthy horticulture season for their income.
The Union has made a fresh appeal to Lieutenant Governor and the Government of India to ensure that the crop insurance scheme is implemented without further delay. It also urged the government to provide orchard owners with anti-hail nets at subsidised rates and ensure their availability in sufficient quantity.
The Union further called on officials from SKUAST-Kashmir and the Horticulture and Horticulture Planning & Marketing Departments to assess the damages caused by the storm and recommend a comprehensive relief package for the affected growers.
As climate events continue to grow in intensity and frequency, fruit growers in the Valley say they are left with little protection or hope. They stress that without concrete steps such as crop insurance and government support, the future of Kashmir’s horticulture sector remains uncertain and at risk.
