Widespread snow and heavy rains on weekend caused ‘considerable’ damage to apple orchards in south Kashmir’s Shopian and Pulwama district on Saturday. Some orchardists recalled that loss was as bad as it was due to the snowfall in the first week of November in Kashmir in 2018. The initial official estimate put the loss at 10 per cent even as Kashmir traders say loss was more.
The inclement weather came much earlier than usual when many of the orchardists were still busy with harvesting and had not done trimming of the trees due to which a lot of trees have got damaged. This has plunged the stakeholders into despair and gloom
In most of the places, the twigs and branches of trees were broken. Besides there was damage to fruit trees and was likely to have bearing next season.
While mercury has also dropped after heavy rains and snowfall which has led concern among the farmers who could manage to save apple produce by shaking off the snow from the fruit laden trees but fear that produce will not ripen to the same extent it would have with better temperature.
Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Association say that 50 percent of “A grade” delicious type crop was still being harvested especially in Shopian and Kulgam and 30 percent in Central and North Kashmir.
The trees were laden with ripe fruit and the stakeholders whose livelihoods are associated with the industry were expecting good returns. However, due to damage, the hopes have been dashed to ground, the association said. This has been termed as one of the worst experiences of the horticulture sector in Kashmir which pumps the GDP of Kashmir and also of the association which has been suffering over the years due to multitude of reasons.
Director General (DG) Horticulture Kashmir conducted an “extensive” tour of various places of district Pulwama and Shopian amid snowfall, according to an official statement.
“As per initial reports, approximately 10 percent of damage has been reported from snowfall affected areas till today evening,” the official statement added.
It is here when the administration should come forward. There is a need to support farmers financially. The government must think of ensuring crop insurance. The losses should be worked out quickly and farmers provided financial support.
