Claim thousands of families pushed towards financial distress; seek comprehensive relief package
Srinagar, Jun 01: Kashmir’s horticulture sector, the backbone of the Valley’s rural economy, is reeling under the impact of repeated hailstorms, gusty winds, and erratic weather conditions that have caused extensive damage to fruit orchards across several districts.
Growers and traders have expressed deep concern over mounting losses, warning that the livelihoods of lakhs of families dependent on horticulture are at stake.
The latest spell of severe weather struck on the evening of May 30, when intense hailstorms accompanied by strong winds battered large parts of South Kashmir, particularly Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam districts. Several horticulture belts in central and north Kashmir also witnessed widespread destruction, leaving orchardists worried about the fate of this year’s fruit crop.
Growers, speaking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said weather conditions have become increasingly unpredictable, with clear afternoons often giving way to violent storms during the evening hours. Orchard owners said that hailstones and powerful winds have damaged fruit-bearing trees at a crucial stage of crop development, resulting in significant losses.
The damage follows a series of similar weather events witnessed over the past two months. Earlier, severe hailstorms affected horticulture-rich areas of Rafiabad, including Watergam, Lasser, Dangiwacha, Dandoosa, Hadipora and adjoining villages. Extensive damage was also reported from Sopore, Bandipora, Ganderbal and several orchard belts of Baramulla district, including Sangrama, Wagura, Kreeri, Pattan, Kandi and Tangmarg.
The repeated weather-related disasters have sparked panic among orchardists, many of whom depend entirely on fruit cultivation for their livelihood. Growers say that continuous losses have not only reduced their expected income but have also pushed many families deeper into debt.
The Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers-cum-Dealers Union, Srinagar, an elected umbrella body representing fruit growers’ associations across the Valley, has expressed serious concern over the situation and urged the government to intervene immediately.
The Union said that despite repeated representations, no comprehensive compensation package has been announced for the losses suffered by fruit growers due to hailstorms and strong winds. It also lamented the absence of a functional crop insurance mechanism and a Market Intervention Scheme (MIS), both of which could provide much-needed financial security to farmers during natural calamities.
“The horticulture sector has become an increasingly risky occupation due to recurring weather disasters. Orchardists are suffering huge losses every year, yet there is no effective safety net to protect them from financial ruin,” the Union said in a statement.
The growers’ body warned that if timely relief measures are not introduced, the consequences could extend beyond individual farmers and impact the Valley’s broader rural economy. “Thousands of families are struggling to recover from successive crop losses. The situation demands urgent attention before it develops into a larger economic crisis,” it added.
Horticulture remains one of the most important sectors of Jammu and Kashmir’s economy. The sector contributes nearly eight per cent to the Union Territory’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) and directly or indirectly supports around 7.5 lakh families. It also serves as a major source of employment for rural youth and sustains a vast network of traders, transporters, labourers and allied industries.
In view of the repeated destruction caused by hailstorms and strong winds, the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers-cum-Dealers Union has appealed to the Lieutenant Governor and the Chief Minister to take immediate measures to safeguard the interests of growers.
Among its key demands, the Union has sought the declaration of the recurring hailstorm incidents as a national disaster, immediate implementation of a comprehensive crop insurance scheme for the horticulture sector, and the reintroduction of the Market Intervention Scheme to protect growers from market fluctuations and crop losses.
The growers have also demanded a reasonable compensation package for orchard owners affected by the devastating hailstorms during April and May this year. Additionally, they have sought free distribution of hail-protection nets to orchardists and waiver of Kisan Credit Card (KCC) loans taken by economically distressed fruit growers.
Growers say that immediate government intervention is essential to protect one of the region’s most vital economic sectors and prevent further hardship for thousands of farming families already grappling with repeated losses. (KNO)
