Srinagar, April 18: A sudden hailstorm that hit several parts of South Kashmir on Friday has caused significant damage to flowering crops, particularly apple orchards, leaving farmers anxious about the potential loss of this year’s harvest.
The hailstorm lasted for several minutes and affected areas in South Kashmir’s Shopian.
Farmers say the timing of the hailstorm was especially detrimental, as the flowering stage is critical for fruit setting in apple trees and other horticultural crops.
“We were expecting a good yield this year, but this hailstorm has shattered our hopes,” Ghulam Nabi, an orchardist from Shopian, told a local news agency.
“The flowers have been knocked down, and this will impact fruit production.”
Experts from the horticulture department have begun assessing the extent of the damage. Preliminary observations indicate a significant impact in higher altitude areas where the storm intensity was higher.
“Flower damage at this stage can drastically reduce the fruit yield,” said an official from the Horticulture Department, adding that advisory measures are being prepared for affected growers.
Kashmir’s economy heavily relies on horticulture, especially apple cultivation, which contributes significantly to farmers’ livelihoods. Any disruption due to weather events such as hailstorms, can have a cascading impact on the local economy.
Farmers have appealed to the government for compensation and crop insurance support, urging authorities to take swift action.
Authorities have asked farmers to report losses and follow post-hailstorm care advisories to mitigate further damage.