Hailstorm hits several Shopian villages

Pulwama, May 24: A hailstorm struck several villages in south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Saturday, causing damage to fruit orchards and raising concerns among local growers.
The affected areas include Padpawan, Bohrihalan, Sedow, and Hirpora—villages situated along the historic Mughal Road and renowned for their high-quality apple production.
Rafiq Ahmad, a resident of Shopian, told Rising Kashmir that the hailstorm began around 2:00 PM and lasted for approximately 10 minutes.
“It came suddenly and battered the orchards, especially apple and other fruit trees,” he said.
According to locals, the storm caused an estimated 10 to 15 percent damage to fruit-bearing trees, which are currently in a crucial stage of development.
Farmers expressed concern over the impact on the upcoming harvest, a vital source of livelihood for thousands of families in the region.
Notably, this is the second hailstorm to hit villages like Sedow and Hirpora in May. A mild-intensity storm earlier struck the same areas on May 4, causing light damage.
This latest event follows a major hailstorm on April 29 that affected around 58 villages across Shopian, resulting in widespread damage to fruit trees.
Local orchardists once again urged the administration to include apples under the crop insurance scheme.
“We have been appealing to the government for years to introduce insurance coverage for apple crops to safeguard farmers against natural calamities,” they said.
Growers also demanded subsidized anti-hail nets, which they believe could offer much-needed protection for their orchards against increasingly unpredictable weather.