Hailstorms damage apple orchards in Shopian district
Srinagar: An intense hailstorms on Wednesday night have caused hell to apple orchards in several villages of Shopian district of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), known for producing first-rate apples.
According to Kashmir Media Service, apple cultivators from Adijan, Pushama, Reshnagri, and Kanjiullar villages of the district said that an intense hailstorm wreaked havoc on their fruit orchards.
The affected farmers have stated that the chickpea-sized hailstones caused bruises on the surface of apple crop in these villages.
President Fruit Mandi Shopian, Muhammad Ashraf Wani said that the hailstorms lasted for 10 to 15 minutes, causing significant damage to both the fruit and foliage.
Bilal Ahmad, an affected farmer, pegged the damage at more than 50 percent. Many distressed farmers said that the damage was above 60 percent.
Over the last two months, scores of apple-producing villages in the district experienced intense hailstorms, causing substantial damage to the crop.
More than 80 per cent of people in the district earn their livelihood through apple farming.
