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Losses mount for apple growers in Himachal as hailstones continue to batter orchards
Farmers have suffered losses to the tune of ₹300 crore so far, besides the damages to the stone fruits
Losses are compounding for Himachal farmers as frequent hailstorms continue to batter orchards in the main apple-growing regions of the state.
Apple growers have suffered losses to the tune of ₹300 crore so far, besides the damages to the stone fruits.
Inclement weather conditions this time have dashed the hopes of farmers, who were expecting good returns after a lean season last year that was adversely impacted by the Covid-induced lockdown.
High moisture content has already led to outbreak of many fungal diseases in orchards, including deadly scab that emerged after two decades in 2019.
“Weather this time is quite unpredictable. Jagged hailstones hammered the crops between Shilaru and Matiana on Wednesday evening. Hardly any crop is left now. Orchards bore the brunt of spring snow in April and the damages were way too intense,” said Devender Sarswati, a retired government official who owns an apple orchard in Shilaru in Theog subdivision. The hailstones extensively damaged the anti-hail nets used to cover the apple plants.
Untimely snowfall in the last week of April and repeated hailstorms have broken the backbone of apple farmers, said Harish Chauhan, president of Fruit, Vegetable and Flower Growers Association. He said the government pegged the crop losses at only ₹250 crore whereas the intensity of the damage was much high. “The government only assesses crop losses. The farmers never get compensated,” he claimed.
“We don’t have enough funds to compensate the farmers. The damage report will be sent to the central government,” said Himachal horticulture minister Mahender Singh Thakur. He also expressed serious concern over the insurance companies not compensating the farmers for their losses.
The horticulture department will hand over the cases of the insurance companies to special investigating units, he said. “If required, we will get it investigated by central agencies,” he added.
The ₹60,000 crore apple economy is the mainstay of over two lakh farming families in Himachal Pradesh. Apples are mainly grown in Shimla, Mandi, Kullu, Kinnaur and a few regions of Chamba , Sirmaur and Lahaul and Spiti.
