Srinagar, Sep 12 : Heavy rainfall accompanied by hailstorms during the intervening night of Friday and Saturday has caused extensive damage to standing paddy crops in several parts of central and north Kashmir, leaving farmers facing the prospect of major financial losses just days ahead of the harvesting season.
The hailstorm reportedly affected paddy fields in several villages of Beerwah sub-division in Budgam district, including Chewdara, Beerwah, Ohangam, Rathsun and Arwah. Farmers in the affected areas said the crop had reached the maturity stage and was expected to be harvested within the next few days.
Similar damage has been reported from several areas of Ganderbal district, including Malikpora, Pati Devpora, Gogjigund, Kurag and Sehpora, where farmers said standing paddy crops were hit by the intense hail and rainfall.
In parts of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, farmers from Tangmarg and Kunzer areas have also reported damage to agricultural fields following the sudden deterioration in weather conditions.
The affected farmers said the damage had come at a critical time when they had already invested significant amounts of money and labour in raising the crop.
For many farming families, the paddy harvest is an important source of annual income, and the destruction of the standing crop has triggered concerns about how they will recover the money spent on seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, labour and other agricultural inputs.
Nadeem Ahmad Dar, a resident of Chewdara village, said the hailstorm had completely damaged his paddy fields at a time when the crop was almost ready for harvesting.
“Our paddy fields have been completely damaged due to the heavy hailstorm. We had already spent a lot of money on cultivation and were expecting to benefit from the crop. The rice plants were ready for harvesting and we were planning to harvest them within a few days. But the hailstorm has completely damaged our fields,” Dar said.
He said agriculture was the main source of livelihood for his family and that the sudden crop loss had left them in a difficult situation.
“We are farmers and completely depend on agricultural activities. Our vegetable and paddy crops have also been damaged. We have no other option now. We request the government to identify all the affected farmers and provide them adequate compensation,” he said.
Another affected farmer, Mohammad Akbar Dev, said the damage had wiped out months of hard work and investment.
“My paddy fields have been completely damaged due to the heavy rainfall and hailstorm. More than 10 members of my family are dependent on agriculture. I have lost everything. I worked in the paddy fields every day so that we could benefit from the crop. Now, all my hard work and the money I invested in the paddy fields have been lost due to the hailstorm,” Dev said.
Dev appealed to the government to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the losses and ensure that every affected farmer was identified.
He also demanded relief for farmers who had taken loans to finance agricultural activities.
“The government should identify all the farmers who have suffered losses due to the hailstorm. The KCC loans of the affected farmers should also be waived so that farming families can manage the situation,” he said.
Farmers in the affected areas said an early assessment was necessary as the extent of damage could increase if the affected crop deteriorated further.
They urged the Agriculture Department and district administration to send field teams to the affected villages to assess the losses and prepare a detailed report.
Director Agriculture Kashmir, Sartaj Ahmad Shah said farmers who had insured their maize and paddy crops would be eligible for compensation under the crop insurance scheme.
“The affected farmers who have insured their maize and paddy crops need to raise their claims through the online mode. They can also contact the concerned agricultural officials in their respective areas, who will guide them in filing the claims within 48 hours so that they can receive compensation,” Shah said.
He advised insured farmers to approach the concerned Agriculture Department officials for assistance in filing their claims within the stipulated period.
The recent damage has once again highlighted the vulnerability of farmers to sudden weather events, particularly during the crucial stages of crop maturity and harvesting.
