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Damage to badly hit apple production in coming years

ESS AHMAD. Dated: 11/13/2018 11:54:49 AM

ANANTNAG, Nov 11: The recent untimely snowfall that caused damage to the orchards may badly hit the apple production in coming years even as the authorities are yet to assess the exact quantum of the damage caused to the apple trees.
The snowfall that happened in the valley last week besides leading to the breakdown of services for days together bad hit the fruit industry uprooting apple trees and slashing away the branches.
Though the government announced to compensation to the farmers but the horticulture authorities are yet to assess the damage but maintain that the damage caused to the apple trees will badly affect the production in coming years.
Four districts of south Kashmir including Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian were the worst hit where orchardists suffered heavily as the snow not only damaged their fruit bearing trees but also their yet to be harvested fruit.
Chief Horticulture Officer, Anantnag, Mohammad Yasin said they are still carrying out the assessment of the damage caused to the horticulture sector.
"As per the preliminary assessment the damage is about 30 percent but once the proper assessment is carried out we will come up with the exact damage report,"
CHO said.
Anantnag district, the officer said, has around 31 hectares of land under the fruit cultivation out of which the trees on 6 hectares of land have been damaged.
"On the basis of preliminary assessment I have submitted 400 crore damage report already but after the proper assessment is done we will submit the exact damage report," CHO said.
He, however, said that the damage caused to the fruit bearing trees will definitely hit the production in coming years.
"Since the huge fruit bearing trees were completely damaged the apple production will be hit badly. There will be at least 20 percent fall in apple production next year," CHO said.
A total of 144825 hectares of land are under the production of fruit in valley which as per the official figures produces 17 lakh metric tons of fruit annually.
Like Anantnag, the authorities in district Pulwama too are yet to assess the damages and losses caused to the trees and fruit due to snowfall.
"Damages are everywhere. If some orchards have suffered less damages others are completely damaged. Our field officials are on the job to assess the exact damages in their respective areas. Once they carry out the assessment we will be able to come up with the damage report. But one thing is for sure the apple production in valley will fall by 20 to 30 percent given the damage to the huge fruit bearing trees," chief horticulture officer, Pulwama, R K Kotwal told Kashmir Times.
Massive damages to the orchards were also reported from Shopian and Kulgam areas due to the snowfall.
An official said Shopian district remains the worst hit in terms of damage to orchards and fruit.
"Since 20 to 30 percent fruit in the district was not harvested at the time of snowfall the farmers in the district suffered heavy losses as not only their fruit was damaged but trees as well. It will take us more than week to assess the damage," an official said.