Srinagar, June 4 -- The recent intense hailstorm that battered multiple villages in the Imam Sahab belt of south Kashmir's Shopian district is a grim reminder of the precariousness that haunts our agrarian economy. Hundreds of apple orchards-a lifeline for thousands of families-have suffered devastating damage. The timing of this calamity is particularly cruel, with the apple and pear crops approaching a critical stage of development. This is not the first time that such untimely weather changes have devastated orchards. If Kashmir's horticulture is to remain viable, the government under lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha and chief minister Omar Abdullah must urgently act to shield this vital sector. A comprehensive crop insurance scheme, sp...