Srinagar, April 19 -- The Jammu and Kashmir government on Saturday directed the district administration of Kulgam and Shopian to assess the extent of damage to orchards caused by a severe hailstorm that battered several villages in south Kashmir on Friday evening.
The hailstorm inflicted extensive damage on fruit crops at a crucial stage of their growth, raising concerns among growers about significant yield losses. The storm was particularly harsh in the apple-rich belt of Shopian, which damaged the blooming flowers in orchards.
Former Chief Minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said the hailstorm wreaked havoc on fruit orchards across the valley leaving farmers devastated.
"Horticulture is the backbone of our economy & has consisten...