Jubbal: A devastating hailstorm that lashed the apple belt from Kharapathar to Jubbal on Friday has left orchardists staring at massive losses, with farmers claiming that nearly 80 to 90 per cent of the standing apple crop has been destroyed.
Raising alarm over the widespread damage, orchardist leader and Pensioners Sangharsh Samiti member Chaman Chauhan urged the Himachal Pradesh government to immediately step in and provide relief to the affected growers.
He appealed to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Education Minister Rohit Thakur to order a rapid assessment of the losses through the Horticulture Department.
“The hailstorm was so intense that fruits and even leaves were ripped off the trees and scattered on the ground. Entire orchards have been devastated overnight,” said Chaman Chauhan.
He said the disaster has shattered the hopes of thousands of apple growers who were expecting a good season this year.
Chauhan also demanded that pending payments of orchardists from HPMC for last year’s produce be released without delay to provide some financial relief to struggling farmers.
The hailstorm has once again exposed the vulnerability of Himachal’s apple economy to extreme weather events, leaving growers worried about their survival amid rising input costs and repeated climate shocks.
