BHADERWAH: The picturesque town of Bhaderwah on Sunday witnessed season's first snowfall in surrounding hills which has worried farmers of the valley. Snowfall was witnessed in Kailash mountain range, Asha Pati, Seoj Dhar, Chattar Gali in the upper reaches of Bhadarwah town, leading to sudden drop in temperature forcing people to wear warm clothes to protect themselves from chilly winds, official said. Although there was slight drizzle at some places in Bhadarwah town but the unseasonal snowfall in surrounding areas which resulted in the sudden drop of temperature has worried the farmers.
"Our maize and paddy crop is still in the fields and the sudden drop in temperature will spoil the crop," Mohammad Hanif Butt, a resident of Sharekhi village said. He said that the harvesting of paddy will start after 15 days and for proper ripening of maize and paddy, dry and warm weather is required. "The sudden fall in temperature can lead to frost which can badly affect the crop," Butt said adding that prolong winter this year has already effected the crop and now unseasonal snowfall can lead to major loss to the farmers.
" We produce high quality and famous Daggu rice and entire Killar Valley is dependent on this crop. Paddy is still immature and will take at least 20 days of dry and warm weather to start ripening but the early snowfall which has resulted in sudden drop in temperature will badly effect the quality of the rice," said a farmer Haq Nawaz of village Malothi in Killar belt of Bhaderwah. When asked about the fear of the farmers Chief Agriculture officer Doda H. K. Razdan said, " It will have a very little effect on maize and paddy which is mature but sudden drop in temperature which can trigger frost may effect the yield and quality of the paddy crop which is still immature".