As Kashmir braces for more snow, orchardists urged to go for immediate harvests

The department urged orchardists to take pre-emptive measures to prevent any damage to the trees from the heavy rains and snowfall

The Kashmir horticulture department has urged farmers and orchardists to immediately harvest their crops ahead of the snowfall season as the India Meteorological Department regional office in Srinagar has forecast heavy snowfall for the first week of November.

Snowfall in the higher reaches of the Himalayas on Tuesday. (PTI Photo)

The department urged orchardists to take pre-emptive measures to prevent any damage to the trees from the heavy rains and snowfall.

“In case of any such precipitation, unharvested fruit should be immediately harvested and stored properly for packaging and sale,” it said.

The department said the farmers should expedite the pruning of fruit trees.

“Shake trees to remove snow immediately from the branches after snowfall to prevent their bending and subsequent damage,” it said.

Jammu and Kashmir is in the middle of three back-to-back wet weather systems that are expected to bring rainfall and snow for nine days starting Monday, the MeT department said.

While there was light snowfall on Tuesday, it is predicted that between November 5 and 7, another spell is expected in the higher reaches.