Danishwar Hameed
Untimely snowfall has caused damage to apple orchards and maize cultivation in various upper reaches of the Kashmir valley including in parts of south Kashmir.
Locals from the Gulzarabad, and Chiranbal areas of Damhal Hanjipora said that snowfall has led to intense damage to the apple orchards in these areas.
“We are solely dependent on the apple orchards for our livelihood. Unfortunately, for the past four years, we have been incurring losses which hit our livelihood,” Gulzar Ahmed, a local from Gulzarabad told The Kashmiriyat.
He said that maize cultivation in the upper reaches has also been severely been damaged too.
Several areas of north Kashmir including Gurez also received snowfall, leading to losses to farmers in these areas.
Earlier, the mustard oil seed cultivation was hit due to constant rains in the plains of the valley. “After a long time, the mustard crop was in full bloom in the Kashmir valley and the farmers were expecting good income from the cultivation, however, hailstorm damaged the entire crop and farmers incurred losses yet again,” said Abdul Gani Dar, from Arwani area of Bijbehara.
The farmers demanded compensation from the administration stating that such disasters will lead to them selling their agricultural lands for lower prices.