Successive hailstorms damage apple crop in Kulgam

Kulgam, Jun 19: Successive spells of heavy rain and hailstorm over the past two days have caused damage to apple orchards in several parts of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, raising concerns among growers about the impact on this year’s harvest. The hailstorm struck multiple villages in DH Pora tehsil, including Bangward, CR Pora, KhurBataapora, Manzgam and Lisserpora, where repeated bouts of hail on Wednesday and Thursday battered orchards during a crucial stage of fruit development. According to orchardists, the hailstorm damaged both developing fruit and foliage, potentially affecting the quality and yield of the apple crop. “The hailstones have caused significant damage to the fruit. The actual extent of the losses, however, can only be determined after a detailed assessment,” said Amjad Ahmad, an apple grower from Manzgam. Another orchardist, Mohammad Shafi, said the repeated hailstorms were likely to have a serious impact on production this season. The fresh losses have renewed demands from growers for the introduction of a comprehensive crop insurance scheme, with farmers arguing that they remain exposed to increasingly frequent weather-related disasters without adequate financial protection. Over the past few years, apple growers across Kashmir have faced repeated setbacks due to hailstorms, untimely rainfall and other extreme weather events, leading to substantial economic losses. “We have been hearing for the past two years that a crop insurance scheme would be rolled out, but nothing has happened so far,” Ahmad said. Farmers also urged the government to provide compensation for the damage and waive outstanding Kisan Credit Card (KCC) loans of affected orchardists. They said recurring weather-related shocks have placed immense financial strain on growers, many of whom depend entirely on horticulture for their livelihood. The affected orchardists have sought an immediate assessment of losses by the horticulture and revenue departments, warning that repeated crop damage without adequate support could further deepen the distress facing the horticulture sector in the region.