SRINAGAR: The unexpected fresh snowfall has caused a huge loss to apple trees and fruit and crops in the whole valley. According to reports reached to Kashmir News Bureau “The snowfall on Saturday has damaged apple orchards from the North to the South of the Kashmir valley.”
“Across the valley the apple orchards present a picture of broken apple trees with fruit either dropped on the ground or hanging on broken branches," said Abdul Rashid, a farmer from Rafiabad. The apple trees had suffered a huge damage due to heavy load of snow piled up on the leaves and fruit, he added. “Due to climate change, we have been facing unfavourable weather conditions from past several years causing huge losses to apple growers and orchard Ist, “said another farmer, Parvaiz Ahmad.
On the other hand ,Local residents of Sangerwani village of South Kashmir's Pulwama district said that snow has damaged hundreds of apple trees in theirvillage, where till 2:40 PM around 8 inch snow was recorded. “The snow damaged apple tree branches and in some orchids apple trees have been uprooted,” said Zulkarnain, a local resident of Sangerwani.
He said the huge damage has left orchardists in a huge worry. Meanwhile talking about the situation a horticulture officer said, “We are assessing the damage, but most of the apple trees and fruit, crop have been damaged in snowfall in the valley."