Fruit growers in Shopian, like elsewhere in valley, caught unaware by sudden snowfall
Apple growers suffer heavy losses; thousands of trees left damaged
Shopian, Nov 04: Apple growers in south Kashmir’s Shopian district said that they have suffered heavy losses as thousands of apple trees got damaged in the district due to sudden snowfall on Saturday in the valley.
Fruit growers here told Kashmir Images that there are various areas in Shopian district where harvesting of apple was not over yet and several tree branches laden with apple were broken down in these areas, while as some of them got uprooted due to sudden snowfall.
“We went to our apple orchards during late night hours on Saturday for clearing snow from trees so that to save them from getting uprooted,” they added.
They further said that orchards in areas like Keller, Masspora, Begoom, where apple harvesting was not over yet, have suffered huge losses, however, the fruit growers in these areas said that they are not worried about the loss of fruits, but the damage inflicted to the apple trees has left them worried.
One of the growers in Shopian district, Nissar Ahmad, said: “Almost every apple orchard in Trenz village has suffered damage, while as the branches of trees which were laden with apple have broken down.”
“Barring one apple orchard in Trenz village, which has twenty five apple trees in it, every other orchard wears a devastating look as maximum number of trees has broken down in them and also apple boxes have suffered damages which were still in orchards,” he added.
The apple orchards in the lower belt of Shopian district, where apple harvesting was already over, has also suffered heavy loss as the branches of maximum trees in the area have broken down and many trees have got uprooted.
Another grower, Mohammad Shafi, said: “I have also suffered heavy loss owing to sudden snowfall, although the harvesting season was over in our area but pruning of trees was not done due to which trees with full foliage suffered damaged.”
Arhama Fruit Mandi President, Mohammad Ashraf Wani, said: “Traders at Arhama Fruit Mandi have also suffered huge losses as thousands of apple boxes got wet which they had kept under temporary sheds here.”
“Keller belt of Shopian district has suffered much in terms of loss for which we request the government to compensate the growers,” he added.
