Hailstorm alarm: Kashmir Fruit Growers’ Union demands immediate crop insurance and relief

Srinagar: In the aftermath of the violent hailstorm, intense lightning, and stormy winds that lashed several parts of the Kashmir Valley on the evening of April 18, the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Union has raised alarm over the extensive damage caused to the region’s fruit orchards, urging the government to immediately implement a Crop Insurance Scheme and announce a compensation package for affected growers.

According to fruit growers and orchard owners, districts like Shopian, Kulgam, Bandipora, Baramulla, Ganderbal, Budgam, and Pulwama have witnessed irreparable losses as nature’s fury swept across the valley, blanketing orchards in hail and battering crops at a critical stage of development.

“This is not just a seasonal setback—this is a disaster,” said Bashir Ahmad Basheer, Chairman of the Union and President of the New Kashmir Fruit Association. “The storm has dashed the hopes of thousands of fruit growers who depend entirely on the annual orchard yield to sustain their families.”

The Union lamented the absence of a functional Crop Insurance Scheme in the region, despite repeated appeals and previous government announcements. “While climate shocks are beyond human control, the lack of financial safety nets like crop insurance is a policy failure,” Basheer said.

The situation is particularly dire for marginal growers, who make up over 90% of the Valley’s horticulture sector. “Their entire livelihood is tied to these orchards. When nature destroys them, these families face economic ruin,” the Union emphasized.

The Union has submitted an urgent appeal to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir (UT), Jenab Omar Abdullah, requesting:

1. Immediate implementation of a Crop Insurance Scheme for the horticulture sector across Jammu and Kashmir

2. Rapid damage assessment by teams from SKUAST-K, the Horticulture Department, and Horticulture Planning & Marketing officers

3. A reasonable and comprehensive compensation package for affected orchard owners

Beyond the orchards, the Union warned that the storm’s impact will ripple through the entire horticulture supply chain, including packaging units, transporters, and traders—affecting thousands of livelihoods.

This natural disaster comes at a time when the Valley’s fruit industry—a critical pillar of Kashmir’s economy—was just beginning to recover from previous years of climatic and market disruptions.

The Fruit Growers Union has called for urgent and compassionate governance, reminding the administration that “every hailstorm that hits our orchards is a blow to our economy, our dignity, and our future.”