Srinagar, Sep 03 (KNO): Fruit growers in south Kashmir's Kulgam and Shopian districts have appealed to the administration for compensation after a hailstorm caused extensive damage to their crops on Monday evening. The destruction has once again prompted calls for the government to implement a crop insurance scheme.
The heavy hailstorm devastated the harvest-ready apple crops in dozens of villages across these districts.
Growers from the affected areas told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that their orchards have suffered extensive damage for the past five consecutive years due to untimely snowfall, hailstorms and other climatic events. They said they suffered losses worth lakhs of rupees each year but received only minimal compensation.
Nazim Ahmad, a grower from Shopian, said that untimely snowfall and hailstorms in recent years have severely damaged his orchards, which has reduced the fruit-bearing capacity of the trees. He said that for several years, orchardists have been spending all their earnings on fertilisers and labour for their orchards, only to face substantial losses due to adverse weather conditions.
"There is a need for a crop insurance scheme so that if growers face any damage, they at least get 50 percent of it back," Ahmad said.
Other growers said the hailstorm on Monday evening caused damage worth crores of rupees, yet any compensation they receive will likely be minimal. They said the damage is particularly severe because the crop was ready for harvesting, and many families in the area have lost their primary source of income for the year after spending lakhs on fertilisers, pesticides and other necessities.
The growers are willing to pay for insurance on a yearly basis if the government implements a crop insurance scheme. They also urged the government to waive the interest on loans taken by farmers in areas affected by the hailstorm.
It is important to note that about 60 percent of the population in Kashmir is directly or indirectly dependent on the horticulture sector.
Meanwhile, the Fruit Growers Association in a statement issued to KNO said huge losses were caused by the hailstorm and stormy winds that swept through various parts of Shopian and Kulgam districts on the afternoon of September 2, 2024.
It said the climate has severely impacted the thriving fruit industry, which is a crucial pillar of Kashmir's economy.
"Horticulture is a crucial sector in Kashmir's economy, with fruit cultivation being a major agricultural activity. Any significant losses can severely impact the livelihood of thousands of farmers and others directly or indirectly connected with the horticulture industry," the statement read. "While weather-related challenges are beyond their control, the absence of a crop insurance scheme has added to their woes."
According to the association, the orchard owners in Shopian and Kulgam districts have suffered irreparable losses due to the hailstorm. “The storm left a white layer in the orchards, and the apple crop was completely knocked down from the trees just as it was ready for harvest. This sudden loss has dealt a severe blow to the orchard owners and has had a ripple effect on others associated with the horticulture industry,” it said.
The association said the horticulture industry of Jammu & Kashmir is a major contributor to the region's economy, with more than 7 lakh families directly or indirectly dependent on this industry.
The Kashmir Valley has been rightly described as the 'Land of Fruits' and the 'Fruit Bowl' of Northern India, with horticulture contributing about 10% to the State Gross Domestic Product (SGDP), the statement said, adding, “It is unfortunate that the horticulture industry of J&K, renowned for its apples, has faced challenging seasons continuously for several years due to untimely rains, stormy winds, and hailstorms.”
The Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Union, an elected umbrella body of all fruit growers associations in the valley, said it has been consistently appealing to the government for years to include Kashmir's horticulture sector in a crop insurance scheme that could provide much-needed relief during natural calamities. Despite government announcements, the crop insurance scheme has yet to be implemented, the union lamented.
"In light of the recent hailstorm and its dire consequences, the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Union would like to request the Lt. Governor's administration to implement a 'Crop Insurance/Market Intervention Scheme' on a priority basis to safeguard the interests of fruit growers and dealers in the valley,” the union said. “We also request the deployment of concerned officers from the Agriculture University (SKUAST) Shalimar, the Department of Horticulture Development Kashmir, and Horticulture (P&M) to the affected areas of Shopian and Kulgam for an immediate assessment of damages to fruit orchards in these districts and consideration for sufficient compensation for the losses suffered due to the recent hailstorm.”
The union expressed hope that the government would consider their legitimate demands and take practical steps to protect the horticulture sector from further damage—(KNO)