Horticulture Deptt. to come up with damage assessment today
ARJUMAND WANI
SRINAGAR, May 26: Heavy rains and hailstorm created havoc for horticulture crops across the Valley on Friday.
Reports pouring in from various north and south Kashmir districts, reaching Kashmir Despatch suggest a significant damage caused to apple, cherry and walnut crops.
In north Kashmir, the most affected areas included parts of Baramulla and Kupwara districts, while in south Kashmir the hail pellets wrecked havoc on crops in Shopian, Pulwama and Kulgam districts.
Fayaz Ahamd Malik, president Fruit Mandi Spore said that the hailstorm, which lasted for around 10 to 15 minutes in Sopore, Rafiabad, Kupwara and Baramulla areas devastated apple farms.
He said that over the last many years, the apple business had been going through a rough patch due to unseasonal snowfall and other hostile weather conditions. “The hail stones have caused a significant damage to both the fruit and leaves. Once harvested, the affected crop is sold at dirt cheap rates in mandis, and the growers are not able to recoup even the input costs,” Malik told Kashmir Despatch.
He said that their long-standing demand for introducing the crop insurance scheme could only save the farmers and the horticulture industry worth crores.
However director Agriculture, Kashmir Chowdhary Mohammad Iqbal said, “We are collaborating with one of the government companies. We hope that their problems will be resolved by June this year.”
Mohammad Ashraf, a local farmer from south Kashmir’s Shopian district told Kashmir Despatch that the worst hit villages in the area included Chawan, Dunaado, Pahlipora, Zampathri, Kaprin, Butgund, Sedow, Devpora, Bohrihalan, Shmasipora, Amshipora and Wangam.
“Around 30-40 percent of apple crop have been damaged in the entire district,” said Ashraf. He said that the rains followed by hailstorm also damaged the cherry and walnut crops in the area.
Many farmers from Kulgam and Pulwama districts also said that the hailstorm caused damage to apple and cherry in their areas. “The hailstones stripped trees of leaves and knocked down the fruit in Tral”, said Abdul Rashid, a local farmer.
Ghulam Rasool Mir, Director Horticulture Kashmir told Kashmir Despatch that the department is assessing the loss. “We have formed multiple teams and they are visiting the affected areas to assess the damage”, he said. Mir said that the department would submit its report by tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Director of the Meteorological Department Jammu & Kashmir, Sonam Lotus while talking to Kashmir Despatch said, “It will be sunny tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, after that there are rains again from 29th to 31st.” “During this period some areas may again witness a brief spell of hailstorm”, he added.
Advisory
The Department of Horticulture has issued the following advisory for affected farmers.
Apple/Pear:
Zineb 68% + Hexaconazole 4% 72 WP @100g/100lts of water OR
Tubeconazole (6.7%) +Captan (26.9)33.6SC @250 mls/100 lts. of water OR
Fluxapyroxad 250g + Pyraclostrobin 250g 500 SC @20mls/100lts of water.
After a gap of 3 days, spray Urea @ 0.2% (200 gms per 100 liters of water).
Remove the fallen fruits and leaves from the orchards immediately.
Plum/Peach/Apricot:
Carbendazim 12% + Mancozeb 63% 75 WP @250g/100 lts of water OR
Thiophanate Methyl 70WP @50g/100lts of water.
After a gap of 3 days, spray Urea @ 0.2% (200 gms per 100 liters of water).
Remove the fallen fruits and leaves from the orchards immediately.
