Half an hour of hail, a full season gone: Apple growers count losses across 32 villages in south Kashmir

Kulgam, April 7: On Monday afternoon, farmers in Nihama village were moving through their apple orchards in full bloom, expecting a good yield and better returns this season after months of work.

GhulamNabiBhat, 70, was among them.

He had just checked his 7-Kanal orchard and returned home satisfied.

The trees were covered in white and pink blossoms, raising hopes of a strong harvest.

A few hours later, most of those blossoms were on the ground.

As the weather suddenly changed, Bhat rushed back towards his orchard.

Dark clouds gathered quickly, and by the time he reached, hailstones were already hitting the trees.

Within minutes, the blossoms began falling off, covering the ground.

“I just kept watching. It all happened very fast,” Bhat said.

The storm lasted around 30 minutes but caused heavy damage to his orchard.

Bhat had taken aRs 70,000 loan under the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme this season and spent it on fertilisers, pesticides, insecticides and regular sprays.

In the same village, Ata Muhammad, 60, who owns around 8 Kanals of land, said the damage was widespread.

“The flowers were all over the ground,” he said. “In many orchards, there is nothing left now.”

He said apple farming is the only source of livelihood for most families in these villages.

“We feed our families and educate our children from what we earn from apples,” Ata said. “But for the last few years, because of these losses, it has become very difficult to even repay our KCC loans with interest.”

The hailstorm affected large parts of Kulgam and also areas of Shopian.

Farmers said more than 30 villages were hit, with upper areas facing the worst damage as trees were in full bloom.

In lower areas, where petal fall had just started, the losses were also significant.

The impact has been felt across farmers.

Muhammad Ayub, a prosperous grower from Naklipora village with larger orchards, said the damage is serious even for bigger farmers.

“The loss in many places is total,” he said. “At this stage, it affects everyone.”

In Kulgam, villages such as Nihama, Laisoo, Gudar, Manzgam and Watoo, Bathipora and Lakedpora reported heavy losses.

In Shopian, Kellar, Balpora, Shirmal, Amshipora, Sedaw and several other villages were also affected.

G.M. Banday, president of the Fruit Growers Association South Kashmir, said the timing of the storm is a major concern.

“This is the stage that decides the crop,” he said. “If the flower is gone, the fruit will not come. In some areas, damage is 70 to 80 percent.”

He said farmers have already spent heavily on inputs this season.

“Without substantial government assistance, it will be difficult for them to manage,” he added.

Farmers said hailstorms during the flowering stage have become a common phenomenon over the past five years, damaging crops at a crucial time.

“We take loans and spend everything on orchards,” Bhat said. “If the crop fails, we are left with nothing.”

They are now demanding compensation and loan waivers.

Government says 32 villages affected, orders assessment

Cabinet minister SakinaItoo visited affected areas of her home constituency D.H. Pora and said 26 villages in Kulgam and seven in Shopian – 32 in total have been hit by the hailstorm.

She directed officials to carry out a detailed assessment and ensure relief for the farmers.

” Teams from the agriculture and revenue departments have been sent to assess the losses,” she said while expressing solidarity with the farmers.