Srinagar: A severe hailstorm has struck the Shopian district of Kashmir on Wednesday, causing widespread devastation to the apple belt’s apple orchards. Fruit growers report that 50% to 70% of the apple crop has been completely destroyed, leaving the local economy reeling as the fruit industry is a key pillar of Kashmir’s economy. The growers are now calling for immediate compensation and the implementation of a long-promised Crop Insurance Scheme to mitigate such disasters in the future.
The Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers cum Dealers Union, representing the region’s fruit growers, has long advocated for the inclusion of Kashmir’s horticulture sector in a Crop Insurance Scheme, but despite government announcements, this has not been implemented, Bashir Ahmad Basheer
Chairman, Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Union and President of the New Kashmir Fruit Association told Ziraat Times.
The Shopian hailstorm has highlighted the urgency of this demand, as orchard owners face severe financial losses with no safety net, Mr Bashir said.
In response to the catastrophe, the Union has formally requested the Lt. Governor’s administration to:
1. Implement the “Crop Insurance/Market Intervention Scheme” as a priority to protect fruit growers and dealers.
2. Deploy officers from Agriculture University (SKUAST) Shalimar and the Department of Horticulture to the affected areas of Shopian for an immediate assessment of the damages.
3. Provide sufficient compensation to fruit growers for the losses suffered due to the recent hailstorm.
The fruit growers hope that the government will act swiftly to address these legitimate demands and take concrete steps to prevent further damage to this crucial sector.
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