Shopian Aug 06 (KNO): After facing hailstorms, crop diseases, and an extended dry spell, fruit growers in south Kashmir's Shopian have now suffered fresh losses due to strong winds that damaged apple orchards at a critical stage of growth.
Locals from Maldera, Heffkhuri and its adjacent areas in Chitragam hamlet of Shopian said the repeated natural calamities have left the growers distressed, with many now demanding the immediate implementation of a comprehensive crop insurance scheme to safeguard their livelihood.
"Every year, it's a new disaster. This time, strong winds have knocked down apples before the harvest season," Abdul Ahad Bhat, a grower from Chitragam, told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
"We’ve already spent thousands on pesticides and fertilisers. What do we do now?" he added.
The apple industry, a key contributor to the region's economy, has been reeling under the impact of frequent weather vagaries and plant diseases. Fruit growers said that the lack of a robust insurance mechanism is making their survival harder with each passing season.
"Whenever damage happens, the government gives us just a few bucks as compensation. It feels like rubbing salt on our wounds," said another local grower, Ghulam Rasool Dar. "We don’t want pity payments, we want protection through proper crop insurance.”
Growers said they had high expectations from government schemes that were meant to provide relief during calamities, but they allege those schemes remain on paper only.
“We urge the administration to immediately implement the crop insurance scheme for all horticulture zones in J&K. Without that, our industry is doomed,” said Mohammad Ramzan Lone, who has been cultivating apples for over three decades.
The affected growers have appealed to the Horticulture Department and administration to take urgent steps before the situation worsens further. “This is our bread and butter. We request the government not to ignore our repeated pleas anymore,” said another orchardist.
Growers termed it a matter of their survival, saying that in a single year, their orchards have been hit by hailstorms, new diseases, along with prolonged dryness and now strong winds. "Under these conditions, our survival is under threat," they said.
They requested Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Horticulture Minister Javid Dar, and officials of the horticulture department to look into it and make immediate efforts to implement the crop insurance scheme—(KNO)