Srinagar, Jun 03 (KNO): Following a severe hailstorm that devastated orchards and farmlands across several areas of south Kashmir, fruit growers have condemned the meagre compensation provided, saying it amounts to "rubbing salt on their wounds" given the extent of their losses, which run into crores.
Speaking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO)< growers from Chitragam and surrounding areas in Shopian district expressed their anger, saying the relief of only a few thousand rupees is grossly insufficient.
Bashir Ahmad, a fruit grower from Zainapora, said, “This compensation of three to four thousand rupees is like rubbing salt on our wounds. We have lost produce worth lakhs; this relief doesn’t even cover the cost of a single fungicide or pesticide.”
Ghulam Nabi Lone, another grower from Shopian, demanded a proper crop insurance scheme, saying, “Unless we have a comprehensive insurance scheme in place, our survival will remain uncertain every season. Climate shocks are a regular occurrence, but we get no real support.”
Associations representing growers across the region have united in demanding the immediate implementation of a comprehensive crop insurance scheme, which they see as the only sustainable solution to protect their livelihoods from natural calamities.
Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Showkat Hussain Ganaie assured that he would raise the issue with the Chief Minister. “I understand the pain and losses faced by our growers,” Ganaie said. “I will personally raise this demand with the CM. Implementing a crop insurance scheme is no longer optional; it’s essential.”
According to reports, the recent hailstorm that struck villages in Imam Sahab, Nagbal, Handew, Wadipora, Alsshipora and Dasu caused extensive damage to apple orchards, which form the backbone of the local economy. The storm, which lasted over 15-20 minutes, battered hundreds of apple farms, leaving behind irreparable losses.
Similar damage was reported earlier in Handwara, Rafiabad, Baramulla, Bandipora and Ganderbal districts, where gusty winds and hailstorms destroyed large swathes of fruit crops.
President of the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers and Dealers Union, Bashir Ahmad Basheer, said the hailstorms wreaked havoc. “The fruit industry, a vital pillar of Kashmir’s economy, has suffered a severe blow. These weather-related calamities are beyond our control, but the absence of a crop insurance scheme has worsened our plight. The sudden storms have dashed all hopes of recovery for orchard owners and industry stakeholders alike," he said.
The union has consistently appealed to the Centre and J&K governments to include the region’s horticulture sector in a crop insurance scheme, which could provide vital relief during natural disasters. Despite announcements, the scheme has yet to be implemented, leaving many growers vulnerable.
Basheer said that the majority of growers --- about 90 per cent --- are marginal farmers whose livelihoods depend solely on their orchards. “When their orchards are destroyed by natural calamities, these small-scale farmers face severe hardships without any safety net,” he said.
He urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to prioritise the implementation of a crop insurance scheme and to facilitate subsidised netting for orchard protection, along with adequate storage facilities to mitigate future losses—(KNO)