Hailstorm Strikes Apple Orchards in Shopian, Farmers Report Extensive Crop Damage

Srinagar, A severe hailstorm recently ravaged numerous apple orchards in the Shopian district of occupied Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in extensive damage to this vital agricultural sector.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the affected areas include the apple-dense villages of Moolu, Dangerpora, Trenz, Chitragam, and Thairana. Local farmers experienced the storm as a sudden onslaught that lasted between 10 to 20 minutes, severely impacting the orchards that were in full bloom.

Peer Shabir Ahmad, President of the Pesticides Association, Shopian, and an executive member of Fruit Mandi Shopian, highlighted that the timing was particularly devastating as the orchards were flowering. The hailstones battered the blossoms and leaves, severely compromising this year’s apple production potential.

Muhammad Ashraf Wani, an orchardist in the area, estimated that the hailstorm caused 50 to 55 percent damage to the apple crop. In response, farmers rushed to their fields to evaluate the extent of the damage, with reports from some, like Javed Ahmad from Trenz, indicating losses could be as high as 60 percent.

This natural disaster is a significant setback for local apple growers who have already been struggling with issues such as the frequent closures of the Srinagar-National Highway, market oversupply, and adverse weather events in recent years.