Srinagar, June 2 -- The hailstorm severely damaged apple orchards in the Chitragam area of Shopian and Tral in Pulwama, compounding the challenges faced by fruit growers already struggling from previous storms. This comes just days after similar damage was reported in Shopian's Sedow-Hirpora belt and Kulgam's DH Pora.
Growers said that despite repeated crop losses over the years due to unpredictable weather, government compensation and protective measures remain insufficient.
"Our orchards were hit mercilessly," said Nazim Ahmad, a Shopian orchardist. "We invest lakhs annually in fertilizers and labor, only to lose everything in a single storm without support."
Farmers have called on the government to introduce a comprehensive Crop Insur...