Kulgam, June 6: A severe hailstorm that struck the Budgam area of South Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Friday evening caused extensive damage to orchards and horticulture crops, leaving growers worried about substantial financial losses.
According to local residents and orchard owners, the sudden hailstorm damaged fruit-bearing trees and horticulture produce across large areas, with farmers estimating losses of nearly 70 percent of the standing crop.
The affected growers said the hailstorm lasted for a brief period but was intense enough to cause widespread destruction in orchards that serve as the primary source of livelihood for hundreds of families in the area.
Farmers expressed concern that the damage could significantly impact their earnings this season and appealed to the administration to immediately depute teams for a comprehensive assessment of the losses.
“We have suffered massive losses. The government should conduct an on-the-spot assessment and provide compensation to affected growers,” several orchardists told KNT.
Locals also called for the implementation and expansion of crop insurance schemes, arguing that repeated weather-related disasters have made farming increasingly vulnerable.
They said crop insurance would provide much-needed financial security to growers facing losses due to hailstorms, unseasonal rains and other natural calamities.
The demand for relief gained urgency as growers warned that recurring weather extremes are placing severe economic pressure on the horticulture sector, a key pillar of Kashmir’s rural economy. [KNT]
