How early snowfall threatens to take toll on apple orchards in J&K

Early snowfall in the northern Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and parts of Uttarakhand came as a welcome surprise to tourists here in the last few days. Not everyone though was celebrating.

Owners of apple orchards here have begun counting their losses after the change in weather patter wrecked havoc for them. Many areas with lush orchards in the state of J&K saw uprooted trees and/or fruits on the ground much before they were primed for the plucking. "I have no idea how much loss I have suffered but you can see the extent of damage all around my orchards. The apples were not ready to be plucked but the sudden snowfall has resulted in most of my crop going to waster," said one such orchard owner. 

Many orchard owners say that this is not the first time that they have suffered due to the sudden onset of cold conditions. They say that the unpredictable weather pattern has caused them severe hardships in the past years as well. This year, they say that the early snowfall meant that apples in the thousands were ruined.

The same is true for apple orchard owners in Himachal as well. The state received its first snowfall late last week and while tourists were seen celebrating in Shimla and adjoining areas, apple farmers bore a grim look on their faces. They now say that they are hoping to get a higher price for whatever is left in their orchards and could even seen compensation or financial help from the state government.

The northern Indian states produce a major bulk of all apples in the country and a hit on production here leads to shortage in supply which, in turn, escalates prices. Wholesale fruit and vegetable vendors in Delhi have already begun bracing for such a situation and say that supply of winter fruits could see a delay this year.