Minister for Agriculture Production and Rural Development, Javid Ahmad Dar, on Saturday visited hailstorm-affected areas of Rafiabad in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district to assess the extent of damage caused to orchards and agricultural fields following recent adverse weather conditions.
Accompanied by Director Horticulture Kashmir, Vikas Anand, the minister conducted on-ground inspections in several affected villages and interacted with fruit growers and farmers who reported heavy losses after repeated hailstorms battered the region over the past few days.
The visit comes amid growing concern among orchardists in north Kashmir’s apple belt, where hailstorms have damaged standing crops, bruised fruit and affected tree branches at a crucial stage of the horticulture season.
During the visit, farmers urged the government to ensure immediate compensation for losses and introduce stronger preventive measures to safeguard orchards from future weather-related damage.
Javid Dar directed concerned departments to immediately undertake detailed field surveys to assess losses so that relief and compensation cases are processed without delay. He assured affected growers that the government would take all necessary steps to support them during the crisis.
The minister also stressed the need to enhance awareness among farmers about crop insurance schemes and modern orchard protection mechanisms to reduce vulnerability to climate-related losses.
He reviewed the functioning of local horticulture infrastructure and instructed officials to extend technical assistance to orchardists on priority.
Speaking during the visit, Director Horticulture Kashmir Vikas Anand said the department is promoting anti-hail protection systems under various horticulture schemes to minimise crop damage and improve orchard resilience.
“Anti-hail nets help protect fruit-bearing trees from hailstorm damage, reduce bruising and crop loss, and improve fruit quality and market value,” Anand said.
He said growers are being provided subsidies and technical assistance for the installation of anti-hail net systems under schemes such as the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) and other government programmes.
“In high-density orchards, there is a component of hail protection nets. However, most traditional orchards in Kashmir still lack such infrastructure. Growers should take advantage of government-supported schemes aimed at strengthening orchard resilience against extreme weather events,” Anand added.
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