Snowfall damages apple orchards in Valley

SRINAGAR — Apple orchards suffered massive damages due to untimely snowfall in the twin districts of south Kashmir’s Pulwama and Shopian.

MeT Department had issued an advisory warning to orchardists of massive snowfall, advising them to complete the harvesting process before Saturday and don’t keep apple boxes open in the orchards. Some orchardists probably took the warning lightly.

Even, Horticulture Department had issued an advisory and asked the apple and fruit growers to speed up the harvesting of apples after the weatherman predicted heavy snowfall and rainfall.

Scores of photographs that are viral on social media show apples in boxes, in the open field and on trees are damaged due to snowfall. Scores of apple trees were also damaged due to snowfall.

Local sources told news agency Kashmir News Trust that there was massive snowfall in Pulwama and Shopian as a result of which apple trees were damaged. In Pulwama villages like Trichal, Naira, Tahab, Zasoo, Tumlahal, Drusso, Gudoora, Zadora, Koil, while in Shopian villages including Meemandar, Kellar, Ramnagri, Hirpora, Kaprin and others orchardists suffered losses.

“We had planned to harvest the apple production in coming days as fruits were still not ripe. But, snowfall damaged everything,” Muhammad Subhan, a local from Bellow village said.

Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Farooq Ahmad Khan in a statement has directed Director General Horticulture to personally supervise the assessment process with respect to the loss to orchards and fruits in south Kashmir and depute staff to other areas to assess the damage.

He further said that he has asked the Principal Secretary Horticulture department to monitor the exercise regularly and provide all support to orchardists.