Srinagar- The authorities in Jammu and Kashmir Friday said that they have deputed teams on the ground to access the situation caused due to the heavy intensity of the hailstorm on May 25. Also, the report collected shall be shared with the revenue department for compensation to those affected.
The unexpected natural calamity has resulted in widespread damage to fruit crops, leading to concerns for the horticultural community.
The Director Horticulture Kashmir, G. R. Mir Friday conducted an extensive tour of the affected areas.
During the tour, the Director visited villages of District Baramulla viz. Panzalla, Kangroosa, Chatoosa, Dazna and villages of District Kupwara viz. Hirri, Trehgam, Shumnag, Gugloosa and Awoora to assess the extent of the damage caused by the hailstorm, with particular focus on the severely affected regions of Rafiabad and Trehgam.
In this connection, the Joint Director Horticulture, Kashmir Z.A. Bhat also visited District Budgam to evaluate the impact on fruit crops in the area.
Talking to reporters in Langate, Handwara the Director said that parts of Kashmir valley including both north and south Kashmir witnessed heavy hailstorms. “Areas in north Kashmir were reported to have experienced a heavy hailstorm.”
In Trehgam’s belt, he said that the fruit has suffered up to 70 per cent damage due to hailstorms. “Apple, Cherry, Apricot, Walnut, and many other fruits have suffered immense damage. The hailstorm was of very high intensity leading to damage,” he said.
The Director said that even the fruit still on tree branches is damaged. “Advisories about safety sprays have already been issued but that is subject to weather conditions,” he said, adding that teams have been sent to all areas across Kashmir valley to assess the situation. “Directions have been issued to officers to visit the affected areas. Teams are on field visits to access everything,” he said. “There is a threat of scabs followed by a hailstorm to fruit trees. Teams on the field remain in touch with the growers to advise them about safety measures. We work for the good of people,” the director said.
Earlier in the day the director visited the Trehgam belt in Kupwara, where he interacted with the fruit growers and others associated with horticulture activities.
About the damage, he said that his team is accessing the condition and there is no denying in accepting that the growers have suffered damage.
“In some orchards, about 70% of the fruit suffered damage. An Advisory has already been issued about preventive measures. A lot of the precautionary measures depend on stable weather conditions as well,” he said. “The damage caused is being accessed. It will be shared with the revenue department. As per norms the compensation after proper assessment shall be given to those affected.”
“Things like this continue to happen. People shouldn’t lose their hearts. Similar things have happened in the past too. Important is to safeguard all that is left and not panic,” he said while advising people to not to lose hope.
Meanwhile, in a unified effort to address the crisis, all District Heads and Field Officers were directed to visit the affected areas to assess the damage so that immediate support to affected farmers can be rendered through available possible ways.
Recognizing the urgency of the situation, on-spot instructions and advisories were promptly issued by the authorities, and all the district officers’ along with their field staff were specifically directed by the Head of the Department to meticulously calculate the extent of the damage caused to the fruit crops.
Further, the immediate advisory issued to mitigate the hailstorm damage is replicated below:
For 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.
For 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.
The Directorate of Horticulture, Kashmir will continue to monitor the situation closely in collaboration with other government agencies and stakeholders to ensure that the necessary steps are taken to minimize the impact of the hailstorm on the livelihoods of the farmers in the region. (With Inputs From KNO)
Director Agriculture Visits Hailstorm Affected Areas Of Baramulla, Kupwara
The Director Agriculture Kashmir, Chowdhary Mohammad Iqbal Friday visited hailstorm affected areas of Baramulla and Kupwara districts of north Kashmir.
The hailstorm, gusty winds and heavy rains damaged crops across the several parts of north Kashmir’s Baramulla and Kupwara districts.
Director Agriculture along with Joint Director agriculture inputs Kashmir, Mohammed Younis Choudhary; Chief Agriculture officer Baramulla, Yadwinder Singh; Chief Technical Officer DAK, Sheikh Imran and some senior officers of the department made an extensive visit to the affected areas where damage was noticed to the agricultural crops.
Director Agriculture directed the monitoring teams to make on spot assessment of the damage caused to the vegetable crops, paddy nurseries and mustard crop by the recent hailstorm in specific areas like Ladoo, Rafiabad of Baramulla and Ladoo, Zirhama areas of Kupwara district.
A number of delegations of farmers also met the Director Agriculture and reported the damage to vegetables, mustard and other crops.
Talking to the farmers, the Director Agriculture said that the department is committed to the economic security of the farming community. He assured the affected farmers that all the necessary steps would be taken to mitigate the damage caused by the hailstorm and gusty winds to the agriculture crops.
Instructions were issued by the Director Agriculture to field officers to immediately make a detailed assessment of the losses and the concerned CAOs have been advised to furnish the crop wise and area wise damage reports within a week’s time so that the report could be submitted to the concerned authorities.
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