Intermittent hailstorm brings gloom in apple orchards

Shopian, May 19: Many apple growers in south Kashmir’s Shopian district are engulfed in gloom as their orchards have been hit with hailstorm over past couple of weeks.
Intermittent hail storm over past couple of weeks have hit many hamlets of this apple town known for growing quality apples.
A local resident of Shopian, Riyaz Ahmad, told Rising Kashmir that Malik Chaki Sadipora, Kapran, Raikapran,Chaki Sedow Chotipora, Sedow Dachnoo, Bohrihalan, and other villages were hit by the hailstorm causing significant loss to apple orchards.
He added that the damages have upset the affected farmers and shattered many apple growers who earn their livelihood solely from the horticulture activity.
An apple orchardist from Chake Sedow Chotipora area said that they were expecting a fairly moderate crop this year but vagaries of climate dashed their hopes.
“The hail storm destroyed fruit as well as leaves of the apple trees,” he said, estimating 70 to 80 per cent loss to his orchard.
He told that they are entirely dependent on apple farming.
“I am at my wits ends as how to support my poor family after suffering damage to my main source of income,” he said with a anguished face.
Javid Ahmad Shah, another apple Orchadist from Sedow and President of Lumberdar association Shopian, informed that hailstorm hit the area on 13, 14, 15 and 19 May, 2023 causing huge damage to their orchards.
He said that teams from revenue department and horticulture department visited their area for estimating the magnitude of damage.
“They reported 80 per cent damage due to the hailstorm,” he said.
The affected orchardists demanded higher authorities for compensating them for the damages.
Assistant Commissioner Revenue ( ACR) Shopian, Shahbaz Ahmad Boda said that they have been working on estimating the magnitude of loss occurred to the affected apple orchards due to hailstorm.
“ A joint team of officials from revenue and horticulture departments have been carrying out the survey in the field,” he said, adding that so far they reported 36 to 40 percent damage from three villages.
He said that once the complete report is received it will be sent to higher authorities for action at their end.