early snowfall in kashmir plains wreaks havoc on apple orchards
Sunday 12 January 2025
Last Updated : GMT 09:07:40
Egypt Today, egypt today

Early snowfall in Kashmir plains wreaks havoc on apple orchards

Egypt Today, egypt today

Egypt Today, egypt today Early snowfall in Kashmir plains wreaks havoc on apple orchards

The weekend snowfall wreaked havoc on apple
Shopian - Xinhua

Ghulam Mohammad Lone along with his wife Fatima and three young daughters removed snow from the heap of apples in their orchard, which were ready to be graded and packed in boxes.

However, the weekend snowfall that came early this season wreaked havoc on apple orchards in the region.

As Fatima cleared the snow with her bare hands, the apples under the white mound became visible and she bursted out a heart-wrenching cry.

"Oh! my God what have you done to us," Fatima wailed looking skywards. "God. you know this is the only source of our livelihood. Now where shall I go with my three daughters?"

Lone held Fatima trying to console her and all of a sudden their daughters too held each other and broke down.

"I have sold only 500 boxes of apples and more than 1,000 boxes were still in the orchard. Part of them harvested and some yet to be plucked from the trees," Lone told Xinhua. "Now with the untimely snow, it is all gone."

Lone has taken an advance money as loan from a fruit merchant on account of his produce to meet out expenses including fertilizers and pesticides that he used to protect his produce. Therefore, the loss incurred is likely to push him in debt.

"Of course the loss to apple produce this year is a huge concern as I won't be able to repay the loan and it would push me into debt but my major worry is the damage to apple trees," said Lone. "The loss to trees can't be calculated. You can see how many fully grown fruit-laden trees have been damaged and this means reduced production in the years to come."

Lone walked inside his orchard gently shaking off snow from the branches of apple trees to show the devastation.

"Look at the this," said Lone -- pointing at the deep fissures in the middle of trees -- with tears welling out from his eyes.

Lone is one of thousands of apple growers in the region who have suffered significant damage due to the recent snowfall.

Horticulture officials said the snowfall has caused damage in Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam and Anantnag, districts south of Srinagar city -- the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

The region's premier trade body -- Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry -- has pegged the loss to the apples from recent snowfall at over 68 million U. S. dollars.

Region's Governor Satya Pal Malik who is currently heading the government in restive region has directed officials to carry out loss assessment and promised help.

The local government has nominated teams to asses the damage in the affected areas and on Monday officials of the region's horticulture department visited the affected areas.

"Our department is working on loss assessment of the damaged apple crops and trees and we will come up consolidated figures in next three days," Manzoor Qadri, director of horticulture department in Srinagar said. "Yesterday I personally visited some affected areas and loss is visible."

Former chief minister of Indian-controlled Kashmir Omar Abdullah has sought governor's intervention to help the affected apple growers.

"Massive damage to apple trees. This will further cripple an economy that is already distressed. I request the governor to instruct the administration to assess the damage and ensure adequate compensation to the horticulturalists who have been affected," Abdullah wrote on twitter.

Meanwhile, the region's Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology has issued an advisory for the orchard owners affected by the snowfall, elaborating a number of steps for the growers to protect the produce from further damages.

egypttoday
egypttoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

early snowfall in kashmir plains wreaks havoc on apple orchards early snowfall in kashmir plains wreaks havoc on apple orchards



GMT 14:22 2014 Tuesday ,29 April

Blast sinks Gaza\'s Ark protest boat in port

GMT 14:14 2012 Thursday ,25 October

The defects of the opposition in the Gulf

GMT 06:31 2015 Monday ,03 August

Active video games can rival playing outside

GMT 19:17 2017 Saturday ,15 April

FIFA confirm the 2026 World Cup

GMT 11:33 2015 Tuesday ,13 January

Fivas launches & appoints Jean-Philippe Jallu

GMT 07:35 2017 Thursday ,31 August

Mattis: Still room for diplomatic solution

GMT 11:47 2018 Sunday ,14 January

Ulster halt La Rochelle to lead European pool

GMT 06:22 2013 Saturday ,05 October

Powerful Typhoon to hit Japan\'s Okinawa

GMT 20:01 2017 Wednesday ,16 August

Egypt eyes stronger ties with Gabon, says Sisi

GMT 09:25 2017 Thursday ,23 November

Naval Chief visits forward posts in Creeks area

GMT 19:54 2012 Monday ,16 April

Muamba discharged from hospital

GMT 15:06 2012 Wednesday ,18 January

2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo

GMT 07:15 2012 Tuesday ,09 October

Strippers perform for the dead

GMT 18:09 2017 Tuesday ,07 March

Egypt, Spain discuss bilateral cooperation

GMT 12:12 2016 Tuesday ,15 November

Rejuvenated fired up for Australian Open

GMT 22:46 2016 Saturday ,10 December

10,000 tons of butane gas arrive at Suez ports

GMT 15:02 2015 Tuesday ,15 September

More than 20,000 people expected to walk

GMT 12:36 2014 Saturday ,18 January

Young Turkish film director awarded Europe prize

GMT 02:43 2014 Sunday ,29 June

Regal continues iclub roll-out in Hong Kong

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
egypttoday, Egypttoday, Egypttoday