Hailstorms causing heavy damages to apple orchards in north and south Kashmir districts have once more brought the apple orchardists under a fresh wave of stress as most of them have already taken loans which they could not liquidate in stipulated time due to two consecutive covid lockdowns in last two years. The covid lockdowns have badly hit farmers so intensely that most of them are not even in a position to purchase fertilizers and pesticides . Though surveys are always conducted whenever untimely rains or snow and hailstorms damage crops or apple and other fruits like walnuts and almonds in Kashmir but the compensation for the losses is always too insufficient for the farmers to overcome the losses and process for sanction of compensation is always too much complicated. What matters the most is the fact that for the second time in last two months hailstorms and gusty winds have caused heavy damages to apple orchards in parts of North and South Kashmir districts. Reeling under the continuing financial stress apple orchardists have not only demanded adequate compensation but also waiver of the loans availed by them under Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme over the period of years. Since apple growers have already suffered heavy losses due to covid lockdowns during high intensity pendemic periods in last two consecutive years, the demands for immediate compensation and waiver of the loans under Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme deserves immediate intervention of the government. What merits a mention here is the fact that apple growers not covered under crop insurance scheme find it difficult to recover from the losses they have suffered during last two years due to reduced farming activities. Had the horticulture and agriculture departments carried out awareness campaigns for bringing more and more apple orchardists under crop insurance scheme over the periods the losses won’t have been unbearable for the orchardists.
Usually the Patwaris of revenue department are made part of the survey teams and unfortunately apple orchardists have to go from pillar to post to get the required documents cleared from the Patwari for the final sanction and disbursement of the compensation. Since too many bottlenecks in the survey and sanction of the compensation and its disbursement disappoints apple growers and a farmers at the end of the day, a hassle free process for sanction and disbursement of the compensation has become imperative.
What matters the most is the fact that getting the compensation released is always a herculean task for farmers and orchardists in Kashmir as per the past experiences. Usually the Patwaris of revenue department are made part of the survey teams and unfortunately apple orchardists have to go from pillar to post to get the required documents cleared from the Patwari for the final sanction and disbursement of the compensation. Since too many bottlenecks in the survey and sanction of the compensation and its disbursement disappoints apple growers and a farmers at the end of the day, a hassle free process for sanction and disbursement of the compensation has become imperative.
